Who is Sophie Binet, the new general secretary of the CGT who succeeds Philippe Martinez?

Jean-Luc Boujon (in Clermont-Ferrand) 09h40, 01 April 2023

For the first time, a woman was elected General Secretary of the CGT. Sophie Binet, 41, was not among the declared candidates and created the surprise Friday at the 53rd Congress held in Clermont-Ferrand. Coming from the federation of executives, engineers and technicians, she showed a lot of combativeness from her first hours at the head of the union.

Strong-willed and combative tone

Just over 24 hours ago, Sophie Binet was an unknown. But her first steps at the head of the CGT showed a woman very comfortable at the rostrum, with a voluntary and very combative tone. The proof: this hostile chant to the President of the Republic that she launches even before her first speech. "Emmanuel Macron, if you continue, it will be all dark at home ...", she sings in chorus with the activists.

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Combative also when it comes to putting pressure on Elisabeth Borne before Wednesday's meeting in Matignon. "It's quite simple: we are waiting for the withdrawal of the pension reform. Period," she announces at once. "It may only last 5 minutes. It's really very simple: things are in the hands of the government."

"When she makes commitments, she keeps them"

A determination and radicalism displayed that can only please the hardest fringe of the CGT, which expressed itself a lot during this congress, notably to contest the record of the outgoing leadership. One of its representatives, Sébastien Menesplier, from the Fédération Mines Énergies, was seduced. "She's like me: when she has things to say, she says them. When she makes commitments, she keeps them. This is what I appreciate in the trade unionism of the CGT today," he said.

A very successful entry into the matter for the first woman elected at the head of the CGT in 128 years of existence.