Why the creation of a ministry for government coordination raises questions

Marie-Claire Carrère-Gée, a LR senator close to Michel Barnier, was given this position of Minister Delegate, whose unusual title provoked sometimes perplexed reactions within the political class.

A faithful among the faithful, rewarded by a role that is still rather mysterious. At 61, the senator Les Républicains Marie-Claire Carrère-Gée, who can boast a long political career, has won, for the first time, a ministerial portfolio. She took her first steps, Monday, September 23, in the courtyard of Matignon and then in the Council of Ministers. Former deputy secretary of the Elysée under Jacques Chirac, she is very close to Michel Barnier, whose campaign manager she was during the 2021 right-wing primary.

“Only the LR can now claim Matignon and constitute the pivot of a larger majority, including all those who claim to be from the right, the center and republican values”she wrote on X the day after the second round of early legislative elections. She is now in government in an unprecedented position: Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister, responsible for government coordination. Contacted by franceinfo, Marie-Claire Carrère-Gée, who spoke on social networks when her appointment was announced, did not respond to our requests.

The Prime Minister has put together a team of ministers ready to work together, beyond their differences.

He entrusted me with the responsibility of coordinating government action alongside him.

Because we must respond quickly to the expectations of the French and overcome the…

— Marie-Claire Carrere-Gee (@MCCG) September 21, 2024

The title of his ministerial portfolio immediately raised questions in the ministerial and parliamentary corridors. “Very curious”observes a former adviser to the executive. “Unprecedented is the word, perhaps along with incongruous”comments a government advisor. “It seems that Barnier is much more interested in government coordination than in the issues that are important to many players in the sectors”lashed out, upon the announcement of the new government, a Macronist deploring the absence of a specific portfolio dedicated to disabled people.

“I don’t know what it’s going to be used for, so I prefer not to comment.”a central bloc parliamentarian laconically delivers. “Usually, it is the Prime Minister’s chief of staff who takes care of government coordination”observes Hervé Marseille, the president of the centrist group in the upper house, to Public Sénat. “But there, I think that his chief of staff, Jérôme Fournel, a finance specialist and former collaborator of Bruno Le Maire, risks having a lot to do with the budget…”

“It can be useful because this coordination is historically done a lot at the Elysée. So with a new political situation, it’s not bad to have someone dedicated”believes Pierre Cazeneuve, deputy for Together for the Republic, who renamed Marie-Claire Carrère-Gée there “Minister of Team Building”.

Traditionally, it is Matignon which ensures “the proper functioning and regularity of government action”in conjunction with the General Secretariat of the Government (SGG). The Elysée is usually at the helm for “the piloting” of the action of the ministers. But the presidential palace promised “freedom for the Prime Minister” , speaking of “demanding cooperation” between the two heads of the executive. This is reflected in particular by the end of the presence of Elysée representatives at inter-ministerial meetings or of advisers shared between the presidency and Matignon.

In this new organization, Marie-Claire Carrère-Gée will be accountable for “the Barnier method of governance, with efficiency, dialogue and respect”argues the Prime Minister’s entourage. Concretely, the senator will be responsible for “the coordination of the action of people who do not have the same opinions and have agreed to work together.” The collective work between the ministers from LR and the Macronists will certainly require a little agility between two camps which have regularly clashed for seven years.

The new minister will also take care of “real-time assessment of the consequences of government action on the lives of the French”, adds the entourage of the head of government“With this ministry, we overcome the multiple governmental and administrative silos whose impermeability and complexity are ruining the lives of the French and blocking the country.” It remains to be seen what resources will actually be made available to Marie-Claire Carrère-Gée. “It will be interesting to see if in the decrees of attribution, this ministry will have an administration”notes a former executive advisor.