The former president of The national assembly and Minister of Ecological transition, Francois de Rugywill take a step back with the national political life, even if it remains an active support by Emmanuel Macronhe announced Friday in an interview with the magazine Fundamental. “It is healthy in a democracy that the functions are limited in time”, justifies the LREM deputy of Loire Atlantiquewho will not stand for re-election next June, after three successive terms.
Aged 48, he now intends to “act in economic life” or even “invest in civic life through an association or a think tank”. Solicited by 20 minutesFrançois de Rugy specifies that he nevertheless retains his mandate as regional councilor of Pays-de-la-Loire, for which he is elected until 2028. “I presented myself to exercise it, it is not planned that I give up, ”he assures.
Supposedly sumptuous lifestyle, photos of lobsters and champagne…
“I still love politics and I am not disgusted by it even if I have paid dearly and unfairly for my commitment and the exercise of responsibilities”, explains the Nantes resident in reference to his resignation in July 2019 from his post as minister. of the Ecological Transition after revelations from Mediapart concerning his supposedly lavish lifestyle, pictures of lobsters and champagne in support.
If this case does not fully explain his choice, he believes that what he has “suffered raises questions about the evolution of democracy”. “By dint of attacking elected officials, attacking them as soon as they are designated by the vote, we lose sight of their essential usefulness and the meaning of representative democracy. We demolish, we dirty, we disqualify rather than counter argue, ”he regrets. “This climate favors, in power, communication rather than action, demagoguery rather than substantive treatment,” he adds.
Support for Emmanuel Macron, a spade for the Greens
Considering himself “cleared” by the investigations of the government and the Assembly concerning the amount of work in his official accommodation at the ministry, and the sumptuous dinners when he presided over the National Assembly, François de Rugy had however committed to reimburse three of these dinners judged to be of a “manifestly excessive level” by the investigation.
The former minister says he “always agrees with the orientation” of Emmanuel Macron’s action, and slips that he retains from his experience in government the fact that “we must above all not be satisfied with symbols because “the politics of symbols is the death of ecology” and “over the long term, disappointment is guaranteed”.
Ex-EELV, he criticizes in passing the Greenswho “do not believe” according to him in the possibility of “inserting ecology into progressivism and trusting science” and are “on the defensive as soon as we talk about technological innovations to solve ecological challenges” .
Entering politics 21 years ago as deputy mayor of Nantes as part of an alliance between ecologists and socialists, François de Rugy had been deputy for Loire-Atlantique since 2007. Last year, he was the head of the LREM list in the regional elections in Pays-de-la-Loire. He had then failed fourth place in the second round with 8.20% of the vote. He has since sat in the regional opposition.