Home school, deconfinement… Jean-Michel Blanquer, in the hell of Grenelle

It was a few months ago. In other words, a century. In yesterday's world, before the coronavirus, he was secretly working on the publication of a book for the summer on secularism, a theme he intended to preempt to help Emmanuel Macron in his regaining of power in 2022. Le Covid -19 made these beautiful debates on "separatism" waltz. Frozen executive plans. And bombarded soldier Jean-Michel Blanquer at the outposts of one of the most complex operations ever carried out by the French Ministry of Education. The reopening of schools will largely depend on the success, or failure, of deconfinement.

On the other hand, the teachers' anger against the pension reform seems to be a happy memory… An aggravating factor, Blanquer finds himself helmed by headwinds, in polar cold with Matignon. Tuesday noon, bursts of voice enamelled the meeting of directors of cabinet led by Benoît Ribadeau-Dumas, the dreaded right arm of Edouard Philippe. “Jean-Michel's dir-cab was screwed up! Blows a source in the executive, supported by many others who all speak of "a monumental fan".

He lives this crisis in "commando" mode

In question: the same morning, the Minister unveiled to the Assembly the avenues of work for the deconfinement of schools, in three dates staggered from May 11 to 25. Seeing the banners scroll on BFMTV, the Prime Minister's office jumped. "Ribadeau reminded the dir-cab of Blanquer that we were working on hypotheses", specifies the entourage of the Prime Minister, who swears that these meetings are always "very friendly".

Or even: the anecdote toured the ministerial cabinets and vitrified everyone. Blanquer included, who is experiencing this crisis in "commando" mode, and felt totally comforted two days later when the surprise announcements from the Elysée Palace came to confirm his words. "The president had asked the ministers for a copy by Tuesday. He was the president's good pupil! Says a relative, with the innocent voice of a first communicant.

It has not always been the case. In the morning of March 12, invited to France Info, the Minister asserted, sure of his fact, that the total closure of schools was not envisaged. It never happened, in fact, not even during the war.

#Coronavirus # COVID19 | The health situation in the country means the closure of schools, colleges and high schools from March 16. All measures for the continuity of the public education service have been implemented: we are prepared for it.
The message from @jmblanquer pic.twitter.com/gpVl1aSvVc

In the evening, discreet phone call: Macron informs him that this will be the main announcement of his speech. Humiliated in front of 25 million French people… Burning. "The president is in war mode, Blanquer has taken a bullet," relativizes a member of the Elysian iron guard. Around the minister, we do not hold it against the head of state, on the contrary: it is the scientific council, it is said, which would have radically changed doctrine during the day.

Not political enough, Jean-Michel Blanquer, who has trouble coping with attacks from his fellows and critics on social networks, whom he can't help but consult? He doesn't have the codes for this backwater. For a long time, experienced politicians watched this former senior official, promised to a brilliant career, with the delight of an entomologist watching a butterfly burn its wings.

"I have more scars than skin"

In meetings, he sometimes has this funny formula, which says everything about his state of mind: "I have more scars than skin". His ambitions did not help. "He looked around a bit. After a year, after having had his law - he wanted it - he had a bit of a big head and dreams of a bigger ministry, or even more… ”confides a friendly parliamentarian. From there dates its placement under surveillance by Matignon, where we hardly like the heads that stick out. Blanquer has understood this, and strengthens his game.

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PODCAST. Blanquer, star minister in difficulty (May 2019)

The trigger? The tsunami that hit him this fall. On October 13, he thought he was breaking down an open door when he declared that the Islamic veil is "not desirable in our society". A deep conviction in this hussar of the Republic, childhood friend of François Baroin, another great defender of secularism. Result: open fracture in the majority. It scarified him. "Mithridatized", as he sometimes says.

In the process, he formed around him a small team of deputies. Before confinement, he brought them together regularly to discuss ideas. Close to sociologists Edgar Morin and Alain Touraine, he also worked to widen the circle of intellectuals around the president. “It is by being dirty that you gain thickness. Some sink into it. Not him ”, greets the related LREM deputy and vallsiste Francis Chouat, who approached him.

Brigitte Macron, her first fan

“He got a taste for politics, even if he doesn't have very hard skin. He is hardened, he understands that allies are needed, ”says a faithful. A time isolated in government, he got closer to Jacqueline Gourault (Territories) - a very close to François Bayrou, with whom he exchanges - or Jean-Yves Le Drian. Without forgetting Brigitte Macron, former French teacher, her first fan. "If the policy is to take risks, it is gaining its stripes," welcomes Clément Reyne of the consulting firm WeMean, former cabinet of Xavier Darcos in Education.

On May 17, six days after the start of deconfinement, he will celebrate his three years in office. While government corridors are buzzing with rumors of reshuffle, he remains calm. Except major surprise or failure, "he will not move, it is not even a subject", buries an intimate of the president. Blanquer's friends confess a dream: to see him stay on Rue de Grenelle if Emmanuel Macron were re-elected, and thus beat next year the record for time held by François Bayrou - four years and two months - and perhaps equal his performance to serve Edouard Balladur and Alain Juppé. Two Prime Ministers.