Laurent Hénart had chaired the Radical Party for ten years. He leaves his chair to Nathalie Delattre, who has also just been appointed minister in Michel Barnier’s government.
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Laurent Hénart, president of the Radical Party since 2014, is leaving his post on Saturday September 28, according to information from franceinfo. He gives way to Nathalie Delattre, the new minister responsible for Relations with Parliament.
During the final decisions to constitute his government team, Prime Minister Michel Barnier chose to propose the nomination of the senator from Gironde. Laurent Hénart, president of the Radical Party, was also one of the profiles considered for entry into the government. “Senator since 2017 and the only radical minister in the Barnier government, Nathalie Delattre is in a position to uphold the values of the Radical Party that she knows well as its general secretary”estimates Laurent Hénart in a press release that franceinfo was able to consult. “She was appointed to a strategic position, she is a woman of character, and at the head of the party she will be able to bring a breath of fresh air”said Laurent Hénart privately of the woman with whom he founded the Young Radicals movement in 1988.
According to information from franceinfo, Laurent Hénart announced his decision to leave the head of the Radical Party during an executive meeting on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. He remains a member of the party leadership and speaks of a “passing the baton”.
Laurent Hénart, however, wishes “today invest differently, more freely, in French public life, beyond partisan activity”. “The current political situation in our country requires more than ever the republican forces to renew themselves and work on ideas in depth. The overhaul of the political offer is essential and I wish to contribute fully to this reflection”adds the former mayor of Nancy in the same press release.
Since 2022, the Radical Party, the oldest party in France, has belonged to the presidential coalition. He supported the re-election of Emmanuel Macron, and joined Valérie Hayer’s Ensemble list during the European elections of June 2024. During the second round of the early legislative elections caused by the dissolution of the National Assembly, the Party radical called to block the National Rally.