Kick in the anthill or a simple makeover?
This Thursday, April 8, Emmanuel Macron attacked an old sea serpent: "remove the ENA".
Many times announced, including by its predecessors, still buried, the idea suddenly resurfaced in the bend of a "Managerial Convention" with 600 senior officials in videoconference and without press.
Neither public speaking by the Head of State.
The method is surprising, when we know that he had made this promise a marker of his response to the yellow vests in April 2019. A very totem, this school having become the symbol of French elitism, omnipresent in France. higher levels of power and, especially under the current president, fueling resentment and suspicion.
So why now, when he still seemed to have given it up at the start of the year?
The announcement, in the midst of the Covid-19 health crisis, when France has not yet reached its third epidemic peak and the controversy has swelled over the supposed participation of one - or more - minister (s) in clandestine dinners, appears to have fallen like a hair in the soup.
“It's a bad time.
People are on edge and the ENA is a scalp to calm anger.
It is really the king of the com ', slice an old acquaintance.
"I hear say suppression, I see a reform", tempers for his part the former socialist minister Michel Sapin.
"He has always come up against the cumbersome administration"
The idea of putting this file back at the top of the pile, in the more general framework of a reform of the State, would have returned in recent days.
It was even the subject of a final arbitration meeting Wednesday evening between Emmanuel Macron, Jean Castex and the Minister of Public Transformation Amélie de Montchalin.
“It's a subject he has never let go.
The Covid crisis had suspended everything a bit, but its reflection has always continued.
We even talked about it a few weeks ago, ”insists the former director of the school, LREM MEP, Nathalie Loiseau.
Some remember "the countless number of times" they heard Emmanuel Macron complain about senior officials.
“He has always come up against the cumbersome French administration.
The health crisis is the latest example, ”blows a familiar of the executive.
"It is always the politician who decides", nonetheless recalls another.
The tenant of the Elysée is not, however, going to put an end to the idea of a great school for state executives.
In September 2022, aspiring senior officials will return to the Public Service Institute (ISP), in Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin), again.
"The ISP will train all student administrators of the State and will integrate a common core to thirteen public service schools," Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday, according to comments sent by the Elysee Palace, speaking of a "Profound revolution in terms of recruitment".
No more "reserved lane"
According to him, the Institute should in particular "select less socially determined profiles", by modifying the method of recruitment and by granting a greater share of training to the field.
Above all, if the famous exit classification is maintained, there is no longer any question that it will allow definitively joining a large body upon leaving school.
All will be “state public administrators”.
"We will no longer be able to integrate the Council of State, the Court of Auditors or the inspections at 25 years, but after having distinguished himself by concrete results, that is to say after several years of experience as administrator of 'State and a selection process that I want meritocratic, open and transparent ", announced the Head of State, specifying that the graduates" will all be assigned to operational, prefectural, decentralized administrations, priority government reform ".
Ended, too, the privilege of attachment, which allowed elected officials to return to their original body.
READ ALSO>
"Why do you want to break all this?
»: The end of the ENA, a shock for the students who dreamed of it
“There will no longer be a reserved lane.
It will no longer be possible to spend your entire career in Paris or in a single ministry, ”adds Amélie de Montchalin.
Objective stated, "to end the annuity for life".
"We must be very careful not to replace the exit classification by low noise co-optation," warns the former Minister of Public Service, Marylise Lebranchu, however.
Because old habits can get tough ...