The reshuffle of Elisabeth Borne’s government is announced as imminent, but many questions remain about its scope and around the Education and Health portfolios.
Only one certainty: it is still urgent to wait. Impossible, indeed, to say when the reorganization approached within the government will be announced officially, one slips in the authorized mediums. But there are “little signs” who are not mistaken about the imminence of changes: calls and meetings have been increasing for several days between the Élysée and Matignon, as the reshuffle of the government of Elisabeth Borne becomes clearer. Another clear sign: the traditional Wednesday morning Council of Ministers has been canceled.
>> “We will have a lot of decisive reforms to carry out at the start of the school year”: behind the scenes of the dinner of ministers at the Elysée, between cuddle therapy and defense of the government’s balance sheet
Earlier this week, the head of state confirmed Elisabeth Borne as head of government, but asked her for “adjustments” in his team. And Emmanuel Macron has promised to speak to the French, in the next few hours or in the next few days, without the date or form of this intervention being known yet.
Before the weekend
At the Élysée, nothing filters for the time being on the timetable and the intentions of the Head of State. But these adjustments will be announced for sure before Sunday, July 23, the date of the departure of Emmanuel Macron in New Caledonia. However, we do not know the form of the announcement, by a simple press release or on the steps of the Élysée, for a more solemn effect.
Emmanuel Macron and Élisabeth Borne have also planned to meet again on Wednesday July 19 at 3 p.m. at the Palais, but on the occasion of the Olympic and Paralympic Council, dedicated to the Paris 2024 Games. At this stage, they have not planned to exchange face-to-face, at least officially, according to the entourages. At the same time, of course, the consultations are continuing with the backing of phone calls: everyone is making lists of names, in the ministries and the forecasts are going well…
Finally, on Wednesday evening, Emmanuel Macron will open and host the traditional end-of-session drink at Franck Riester’s Ministry of Relations with Parliament, as he usually does. But his sentences and allusions will of course be particularly scrutinized.
Not so simple “adjustments”
A redesign is often synonymous with headaches. And Emmanuel Macron to entrust it to the ministers, Tuesday evening, all gathered at a dinner: “In a past life I’ve been in your shoes, I know those times are never nice.” Because, here, it is a struggle between political subtleties – to satisfy the “pure” Macronists, but also the allies – which is underway: François Bayrou and Édouard Philippe.
We must also take into account the parity between women and men, the distribution between the regions, so as not to have only ministers from Paris, for example. The deal gets even more complicated with the refusals of some and the hesitations of others. And if Élisabeth Borne would like a broader reshuffle to start a new cycle, Emmanuel Macron therefore preferred “adjustments“. However, for several days, things have been stuck around the post of Minister of National Education.
Another detail that can take time: in the equation of this reshuffle, there is also the High Authority for the Transparency of Public Life, which verifies that such and such an appointment would not create a conflict of interest. Not to mention that Bercy must sift through the tax returns of potential candidates for a ministerial portfolio.