This involved defining the “priorities for the coming months, the timetable and the method”.
Gabriel Attal brought together his entire government this Saturday morning in Matignon during a “working seminar” which ended shortly before 1 p.m.
The government, which now has 35 members, including the Prime Minister, was complete with the exception of the Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu.
After a month-long reshuffle period which dragged on to produce an executive without many new faces, it was for Gabriel Attal to show a "government pack" which is "at work", in the words by Prisca Thevenot, the government spokesperson.
The 35 members of the government were present for this seminar which lasted two and a half hours, with the exception of the Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu.
Regain control
“We are really in action”, affirmed Prisca Thevenot, ensuring that Gabriel Attal’s “approach” consists of “listening, dialoguing and also following the decisions that have been put in place”.
“We must now be sure (that the measures) are in the daily lives of the French (and say) in transparency, in honesty, but in responsibility, where it worked and where we must be able to review the copy if there is needs,” said the government spokesperson.
The other members of the executive left Matignon in light rain without making a statement.
Emmanuel Macron made the final appointments of ministers and secretaries of state on Thursday to complete a first team appointed on January 11.
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Ministerial reshuffle: Amélie Oudéa-Castéra leaves “with her head held high”
After introductory remarks by the head of government, the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire gave an update on the economic situation, while the Minister of Foreign Affairs Stéphane Séjourné was to speak on the international situation and the European elections in June .
“Impose our own political calendar”
For the Prime Minister, shaken, barely appointed by the agricultural crisis, the teachers' revolt, and this week by the attacks of the president's historic ally, François Bayrou, it is a question of regaining control over the story of this start of term.
“If we do not impose our own political calendar ourselves, we expose ourselves to repeated crises,” we explained to Matignon, in an allusion to the mobilization of farmers.
Also read “It weakens everything”: Bayrou’s bloodshed opens a crisis in the midst of reshuffle negotiations
Several ministers immediately left for the field, like the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, expected early in the afternoon in Besançon (Doubs).
He will fly to Mayotte on Sunday with the new Minister for Overseas Territories, Marie Guévenoux, to address the security crisis and prepare an operation “Wuambushu 2”, “against delinquency and illegal immigration”.
For her part, the Minister of Labor, Catherine Vautrin, has a trip planned for Saturday in the Loiret with the Minister for Health Frédéric Valletoux.