The 44th government in the history of the Fifth Republic has eleven ministers and three delegate ministers, i.e. fourteen members, but be careful tomorrow Friday or in the days to come, secretaries of state could be appointed, which also confuses the comments on the balances . There are also seven women, but only four are ministers out of the eleven. That’s it for the numbers, for the rest, we’ll give you the list.
The surprise
And it’s a big surprise: Rachida Dati (LR, mayor of the 7th arrondissement of Paris) will become Minister of Culture. With her, it is a historic Sarkozyst who returns to the government. It is also the symbol of the shift largely to the right of the executive with the Attal government. The problem is that she is indicted for passive corruption and concealment of abuse of power in a case linked to Renault-Nissan and Carlos Ghosn. The strong point is that rallying the leader of the municipal opposition in Paris can open the way to a union of the Macronist and right-wing oppositions in the 2026 municipal elections. An essential condition, although not sufficient, to have a chance of tilt Paris City Hall.
The winners
Emmanuel Macron and Gabriel Attal lacked women at the top of the government protocol order, logically the winners are above all winners. Starting with Catherine Vautrin (Horizon, president of Grand Reims), who was on the verge of becoming Prime Minister in 2022. She will take charge of a large Ministry of Labor, Health and Solidarity. Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, who obviously did not have enough work at the Ministry of Sports and the Olympics 200 days before the event, has a small piece added: National Education. Prisca Thévenot (Renaissance, elected for Hauts-de-Seine), until now Secretary of State for Youth, is promoted to spokesperson. Marie Lebec (RE, MP for Yvelines), becomes Minister Delegate for Relations with Parliament.
However, all the most important royal positions are now all held by men. Because Stéphane Séjourné (general secretary of RE, MEP), very close to Emmanuel Macron, becomes Minister of Foreign Affairs. He remains the head of the presidential party but he is not expected to lead the list in the European elections. Until two years ago, Stéphane Séjourné was in a civil partnership with Gabriel Attal.
Pillars
It has now been usual for seven years: Bruno Le Maire (RE) remains Minister of Economy and Finance, he is even reinforced with the energy portfolio, which therefore leaves the fold of ecology. Gérald Darmanin (RE, elected from the North), even weakened by the fiasco of the immigration law, remains in the Interior. Éric Dupond-Moretti remains Minister of Justice and Sébastien Lecornu (RE, elected from Eure), favorite a few weeks ago to go to Matignon, remains Minister of the Armed Forces.
The decimated and decimated of the left wing
This is the Chemin des Dames. There are almost no members left from the left wing of the majority in high government positions. Clément Beaune (RE, elected from Paris), former Minister for Transport, is obviously paying for his half-hearted attitude against the immigration law. After a threat, he ultimately did not resign, the president did not give him a choice. For Olivier Véran (RE, elected from Isère), until now spokesperson, already given last summer, it is more his comments on Gérard Depardieu which are targeted. Rima Abdul-Malak, now former Minister of Culture, ticks both boxes.
Olivier Dussopt (RE, elected from Ardèche), now ex-Minister of Labor, is undoubtedly paying for his trial for favoritism; the court decision is expected on January 17. He is the boss of Territoire de Progress (TdP), the small party supposed to organize the left wing of the macronie. That’s already a lot, without counting Élisabeth Borne (RE, elected from Calvados) herself, who will no longer be in Matignon. She is, like Clément Beaune, a member of TdP. Agnès Pannier-Runacher (RE), also a member of TdP, former Minister of Energy Transition, could perhaps come back through the window in additional appointments, but no longer as a full minister.
The losers
Aurore Bergé (RE, elected from Yvelines) loses her full ministry and becomes “only” Minister Delegate for Equality between Women and Men.
Agnès Firmin-Le Bodo (Horizon, elected from Seine-Maritime), interim Minister of Health since the resignation of Aurélien Rousseau before Christmas, is logically pushed towards the exit because of her legal problems. Catherine Colonna will leave the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where her performance was criticized from all sides. Franck Riester (RE, elected from Seine-et-Marne), until now Minister Delegate for Relations with Parliament, a discreet but key position, even more so in a minority situation, had been given away for months, it is now done. The ex-minister was nicknamed “Francky the dumpling”, which shows you if his work was appreciated by the majority.