Olivier Véran plays his role in the government by running in the legislative elections in Isère. If the former Minister of Health is the favorite, these legislative elections could also be the occasion for a sanction vote for his management of the health crisis.
Like several of his government colleagues, Olivier Véran is testing his legitimacy as minister this Sunday. The one who was appointed minister delegate in charge of relations with Parliament in the Borne government, is standing in the legislative elections in the first constituency of Isère, his department of birth. This constituency has already brought it to the Assembly in 2017. But Olivier Véran returns with a heavy burden: that of his passage to the Ministry of Health, in the midst of a health crisis. Will the man of confinements and the vaccination pass be the subject of a sanction vote?
The first constituency of Isère, where Olivier Véran is running, covers part of the city of Grenoble, as well as the municipalities of Meylan, La Tronche and Saint Ismier. If he was born a little further south, in the town of Saint-Martin-d’Hères, the minister practiced as a doctor at the CHU de la Tronche. “People know me, say to me: ‘How is your mom?’, or ‘I was in college with you!'” Olivier Véran assured the World, during a visit to his constituency in early June. The population of the constituency, relatively well-to-do, is rather favorable to Emmanuel Macron’s camp.
Olivier Véran favorite for the legislative elections
In truth, Olivier Véran is a big favorite. The former Minister of Health has a good local presence. Born in the suburbs of Grenoble, he was regional councilor for Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes from 2016 to 2021. During the 2017 legislative elections, he won hands down the ballot for the first constituency of Isère, where he was already running. under the LREM label: well ahead in the first round (47.21%, almost 30 points ahead of the second candidate), he was elected in the second round with 68.09% of the vote. Olivier Véran sat in the National Assembly until March 16, 2020, the date of his appointment to the Ministry of Health. It was then his substitute, Camille Gaillard-Minier, who took over.
In addition, during the presidential election, the first constituency of Isère voted very favorably to Emmanuel Macron. The outgoing president came out on top in the first round, with 33.5% of the votes cast, then in the second round with 79.1%. A clear victory which bodes well for Olivier Véran. These legislative elections should therefore not be a problem for the Minister Delegate, who should easily remain in government.
Who are the candidates for the legislative elections against Olivier Véran?
Nine candidates are running in the first constituency of Isère. Olivier Véran faces Aurore Meyrieux for the RN, Salomé Robin for the Nupes, Brigitte Boer of the Republicans, Marine Chiaberto for Reconquest!, Bruno Lafeuille for Debout la France, as well as a various left applications, that of Rémi Adam, and two environmental applications dissidents, those of Agnese Pignataro and François-Marie Perier.
What position does Olivier Véran occupy in the new government?
Olivier Véran was a highly publicized Minister of Health between February 2020 and May 2022, due to his management of the Covid-19 pandemic. Even though the circumstances made him a contested figure of the macronie, Emmanuel Macron made the choice to keep him in the new government of Elisabeth Borne. Olivier Véran has therefore been appointed Minister Delegate in charge of relations with Parliament. This position is placed under the direct authority of the Prime Minister. Olivier Véran’s main task is to take charge of the calendar of government bills presented to Parliament.
Who is Olivier Véran’s girlfriend?
The former Minister of Health was married for 10 years to Camille Lesne, an obstetrician-gynecologist also based in Isère. From 2018 to 2021, he shared his life with Coralie Dubost, the LREM deputy for Hérault. The latter, recently pinned by Mediapart for abusive advances of mandate fees and questionable human resources management, does not stand for re-election during these 2022 legislative elections.