Less than a month before the presidential election, changes are taking place within the government. Minister of Territorial Cohesion, Jacqueline Gourault is replaced by Joël Giraud, announced this Saturday evening the Elysée. Minister Modem will soon join the Constitutional Council, in which she was appointed by Emmanuel Macron, a designation validated by Parliament, the opposition however criticizing her lack of training in law. Joined the government in July 2020, Joël Giraud is the current Secretary of State in charge of Rurality.
Targeted by an investigation for harassment, Nathalie Elimas, who had recently refused to resign, is for her part thanked. The Secretary of State in charge of Priority Education is not replaced within the executive.
In mid-February, according to Europe 1, an internal pre-report had been submitted to Jean Castex. His conclusions “are terrible” for Nathalie Elimas, directly implicated, according to a source from the Elysee Palace quoted by the radio. The Prime Minister had spoken with the Secretary of State to “ask her for an explanation” and Nathalie Elimas had then “refused the option” of leaving the government.
The Secretary of State had denounced a “attack of great violence, on a personal basis”. It is “very hard, very violent, the violence is unheard of for my children, but basically I am calm”, she said in mid-February on Radio J. “What is happening today is extremely malicious leaks, probably to destabilize me. Defamation is characterized “, she then assured. Aged 48, Nathalie Elimas entered the government in July 2020 after being elected in 2017 as MoDem deputy for Val-d’Oise.
This mini-ministerial reshuffle should not be the only one before the first round of the presidential election: several ministers are expected to join Emmanuel Macron’s campaign team.