2024-01-12 06:51:16
Gérald Darmanin and Gabriel Attal, at the Ermont-Eaubonne police station (Val-d’Oise), January 10, 2024. JULIEN MUGUET FOR “LE MONDE”
After the Attal surprise, the Dati shock. Just as unexpected as the arrival in Matignon of the young minister of education, the irruption of the former Sarkozy minister Rachida Dati into the new Macronist executive caused astonishment, Thursday January 11, even in the ranks of the presidential camp . However, it was Emmanuel Macron himself who had the idea of enlisting the LR mayor of the 7th arrondissement of Paris, “ an impactful, popular political figure with a strong reputation », Underlines the Elysée.
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The one who castigated a few years ago “ the absence of ideology ” and of ” convictions » by Emmanuel Macron, and saw in La République en marche only “ a party of left-wing traitors and right-wing traitors », finds herself propelled, almost fifteen years after her departure from Place Vendôme, to seventh place in the new executive in the protocol order, ahead of some of the government’s heavyweights.
Emmanuel Macron, introduced to Rachida Dati around ten years ago by Jean-Pierre Jouyet, then secretary general of the Hollande presidency, had had the idea of recruiting her in mind for a long time. And has taken charge of it personally in recent weeks, keeping the new prime minister away from the operation. Gabriel Attal, who assured Eric Ciotti, boss of the Republicans, on Tuesday that there would be no “ poaching » in its ranks, was only informed of the Parisian elected official’s joining once the deal was concluded.
“Breaking barriers”
Known for her outspokenness, Rachida Dati herself announced to Parisian elected officials her appointment to the Ministry of Culture during a videoconference. She succeeds Rima Abdul Malak. The former culture advisor to the President of the Republic alienated him in the Depardieu affair, by not informing him of the “disciplinary procedure” initiated by the Grand Chancellery of the Legion of Honor against the French actor, following serious remarks revealed by the program “Complément d’investigation”.
Rue de Valois, Rachida Dati will have a vocation, specifies the Elysée, to “ break the barriers of access to culture, in accordance with the DNA of macronism ». « Whether we like him or not, we cannot doubt his ability to bring culture to people who are far from it. », insisted Gabriel Attal Thursday evening on TF1. Frédéric Mitterrand, former minister of culture under Nicolas Sarkozy, welcomed this choice, judging that it is “ time this ministry is subjected to an earthquake ».
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If it has become common, since 2017, for ministers who find themselves indicted to remain in their post, the former Minister of Justice enters the government while she is indicted for “corruption” and “influence peddling”, which is a first. “Indictment is not a conviction (…), it does not mean guilt”swept Gabriel Attal Thursday evening on TF1, saluting “a woman of commitment, of energy, who all her life fought to obtain what she wanted to obtain”.
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