Matignon imposes “a minimum proportion of 40%” of women in the cabinets of new ministers

2023-07-22 22:37:16

It is a circular dated July 20, 2023. It is signed by the brand new chief of staff of Prime Minister Jean-Denis Combrexelle. This document, of which the Parisian Today in France has been informed, is intended for all the directors of cabinet of the members of the government.

He tells them the parity rules at the top of the state, which will be imposed in ministerial cabinets. And this, at the end of the reshuffle which ended, Thursday evening, with the entry of eight new ministers and the change of portfolio of three members of the government.

Matignon puts pressure on the new teams. They must ensure “respect for a balanced proportion of men and women, and in any case (…) ensure respect for a minimum proportion of 40% of persons of the less represented sex”. In other words, it will not be tolerated that the cabinets are more than 60% male (or female).

No question of men monopolizing key positions

This is an objective that the government is already setting, while it will only be made compulsory from January 1, 2026, under the new law on women’s access to responsibilities in the public service. The Borne team obviously wants to set an example.

Already, the previous chief of staff of the Prime Minister, Aurélien Rousseau, who became Minister of Health, had demanded, in a circular last May, that no new appointment in the ministerial cabinet should contravene the objective of parity. This time, with the Combrexelle circular, the rule is tougher: it imposes quotas for new ministers.

The new rule is not just arithmetic. It is also interested in the assigned responsibilities. No question of men monopolizing key positions to the detriment of women. “Special attention will be paid to appointments in cabinet directions (chief of staff and deputy chief of staff, chief of staff)”, indicates the circular. Jean-Denis Combrexelle adds: “Any derogation from these principles will have to be the subject of arbitration at my level. »

Upon her arrival at Matignon, Élisabeth Borne – second female Prime Minister after Édith Cresson – had made the fight for women’s rights one of her markers. “I dedicate this appointment to all the little girls,” she said during the transfer of power with Jean Castex. Before insisting: “Nothing should stop the fight for the place of women in our society”.