It is in this commune of Ardèche that the Minister of Labor was born, that he was elected regional councillor, deputy and mayor. But since he has been carrying out the government’s pension reform, Olivier Dussopt has had his ears ringing.
Raphaël Foïs suddenly raised the volume of the sound system at that time. “And now, a song you all know: ‘The Opportunist’ by Jacques Dutronc! For someone who has turned his jacket as well as our Olivier Dussopt, that’s ideal, isn’t it?” IThe crowd exults, repeats the words, raising their arms. The secretary of the local Union CGT of Annonay is happy with his find. And for good reason: it is in this commune of Ardèche, located 70 km south of Lyon, that the current Minister of Labor was born 44 years ago, that he was elected regional councilor, then deputy, then mayor. But since he brought the government’s pension reform, the child of the country has had ringing ears.
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On Saturday February 11, there were still 6,500 walking in the streets and 8,500 on Tuesday during the last demonstration, according to the CGT, 5,500 according to the gendarmerie. “This represents half of the inhabitants”, calculates approximately Raphaël Foïs, beret on the skull. In this city of just over 16,000 inhabitants, “normally, a demonstration with us is 200 or 500 people”.
Here, even more than elsewhere, we still have not digested that “Olivier”, as everyone calls him, has become a macronist. At the front of the procession, a banner sets the tone: “Once a socialist Dussopt, always a traitor.” Michael, 51 years old, “not unionized, not politicized”To “‘balls”. “I always voted for him. But then, how can he look in a mirror? “The father of the family had “a shock” hearing the elected representative of the corner speak well of the reform.
“He disappoints me, he wasn’t like that when I knew him in the 2000s.”
Michel, a protester in Annonayat franceinfo
Christian Bernardon, 77, a retired welder, is also angry. “I’m even ashamed to be Annonean. For me, he’s a collaborator. How can you twist like that?” he curses, straightening the specially made sign “in tribute” to the one who was its mayor for nine years, from 2008 to 2017.
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“Olivier ?” A lady encountered in a business in the city center speaks of it in the past tense: “I’ve known him for 25 years. That wast someone who was close to people, someone easily accessible, someone with whom we could discuss. I feel betrayed.” She told him what she was thinking a while ago: “Olivier, even if it’s not your fault directly, look: I’ve looked after children all my life, and I get 800 euros a month when I retire.”
“Whistle! Let him hear our anger!”
It’s pure chance, but that’s how it is: on Saturday, the procession passed in front of a Saur building, avenue de la gare. The CGT took the opportunity to “to launch a small dedication” : the minister is suspected by the justice of “favoritism” in a case of public contract around a contract signed in 2009 with this water treatment group. Chance again, a hundred meters further, when the building where Olivier Dussopt lives stands in front of the demonstrators. “Whistle, whistle! Let him hear our anger!” do you shout into the microphone.
The CGT rubs its hands: “Having Macron’s ‘Monsieur Retraites’ who is from here is a godsend. Unwittingly, he highlights our fight.” In the union hall, someone scribbled in chalk “Dussopt, Borne, out!!!” on the board. On one door, another stuck a photo of the minister crossed out with the word “traitor”. Just below, a smart guy also pinned a tricolor scarf that belonged to Olivier Dussopt, when he was still only Secretary of State to the Minister of Action and Public Accounts.
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In a city historically on the left, which placed Jean-Luc Mélenchon in the lead in the first round of the last presidential election, this change of camp does not pass. “I have not forgotten that Olivier Dussopt once said in an interview that he read Karl Marx at 17continues Raphaël Foïs. I haven’t forgotten either that he himself was opposed to Eric Woerth’s 2010 pension reform. ‘is right”begins by saying Christophe Goulouzelle, Nupes candidate who faced Olivier Dussopt during the last legislative elections in the 2nd district of Ardèche. “Finally, I think he mostly masters the elements of language and he goes where the wind takes him.”
“It’s a fuse”
In town, the name of the minister always comes up in discussions. “We even talked about him in our reflexology meeting.smile two women. But you have to be careful who is there. There are some who have hatred, it’s terrible.” At the Le Parisien café, the managers of the establishment ended up removing from the fridge a dedication that “Olivier” had made to them. Official reason: “She was damaged…” On the terrace, a customer try a joke: “How much would you take his job for?” A gentleman dares: “Millions. It takes that to accept this stupid job, it’s a fuse”.
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Pension reform was obviously not on the agenda of the last city council in mid-January, but it’s just like. “We discuss it informally”concedes Patrick Saigne, socialist deputy in charge of youth and citizenship.
“It’s still annoying what is happening, because the very, very large majority of municipal councilors are against this reform that Olivier defends.”
Patrick Saigne, deputy mayor of Annonayat franceinfo
The current mayor Simon Plénet also seems uncomfortable. If he himself is opposed to the text, that “rdoes not question thethe friendly ties forged with Olivier Dussopt” as well as “the recognition of the immense work that he has accomplished on the territory”explains the city councilor in the local press.
“We no longer agree politically”
A sign ? The Minister “go down” less than before in his stronghold. “You can imagine he’s busy right now!” a relative defends him. Before recognizing that “things have changed for him here”. For example, he was expected by the wishes of the mayor on January 13. “He did not come at the last moment, because he knew that we, the CGT, were preparing a welcoming committee for him”wants to believe Raphaël Foïs.
Patrick Saigne, who was already on Olivier Dussopt’s list for the municipal elections in 2014, admits: “At the town hall, some are angry and angry. They no longer want to speak to him, they have distanced themselves. Personally, I would have preferred him to be a minister under François Hollande than under Emmanuel Macron. Now it remains a friend. It’s just that we don’t agree politically anymore.”
A few days ago, he exchanged a few text messages with the person concerned: “Of course he is affected by everything he hears and sees about him. Even more when it comes from inhabitants he has administered.”