2023-09-28 05:39:25
The “immortals” will choose a new leader this Thursday. It is indeed election day at the French Academy, whose 35 members must choose the new permanent secretary. For the occasion, two candidates face off: Amin Maalouf and Jean-Christophe Rufin.
The position has been vacant since the death in August of Hélène Carrère d’Encausse, who had held it since 1999. She has not appointed a successor. But Amin Maalouf, 74-year-old Franco-Lebanese, 1993 Goncourt Prize for The Rock of Taniosseems to be its most natural successor.
Rufin sees in Maalouf a brother
Maalouf’s personality is indeed unanimous. He is also very involved in the activities of the institution where he was elected in 2011. Above all, he was the only candidate until the deadline, Monday.
“You are indeed a man of exquisite politeness and who on all occasions shows great consideration for those to whom he speaks,” praised, during his reception at the Academy in 2012, a certain Jean- Christophe Rufin. Because this rival in the election is a friend. The 71-year-old former diplomat and 2001 Goncourt Prize winner (Red Brazil), was elected academician in 2008. He was delighted to welcome a man of whom he said: “I sometimes have the impression that our dreams have made us more than friends. Brothers “.
A closed-door ballot
This second candidate also hesitated a lot. He even let people believe that he had given up, before taking the plunge. Jean-Christophe Rufin found it frustrating that an institution which prides itself on being more and more modern misses out on this exercise of democracy. “It’s North Korea,” he declared, quoted on Saturday by the magazine M of Monde.
The vote is scheduled for the afternoon, according to very simple arrangements. The 35 members of the French Academy are voters. Only votes for one of these two men will be counted. It will take place behind closed doors, during the Academy’s back-to-school session. The result is expected to be announced without ceremony.
Finances and attractiveness: the challenges of the next permanent secretary
The new permanent secretary is immediately relieved of a task to which Hélène Carrère d’Encausse has devoted a lot of energy: completing the 9th edition of the Dictionary of the Academy. It’s almost done. On the other hand, two other pressing questions will occupy him.
First the finances. The French Academy, like the other branches of the Institut de France, is in a delicate financial situation, which lives off the proceeds of its financial assets, donations and legacies.
Then attractiveness. Rejuvenating and feminizing the “Company” is a long-standing goal, but very difficult to achieve. The green outfit, to be worn every Thursday, attracts retirees and very few active people. There is, however, no shortage of seats to be filled: there are five today. But when younger candidates present themselves, nothing ensures their election. Thus Frédéric Beigbeder or Benoît Duteurtre were failed in 2022, at the ages of 57 and 62 respectively.
#Amin #Maalouf #JeanChristophe #Rufin #Vote #Thursday #designate #immortals