It’s better to have remorse than regrets. It is, it seems, with this adage in mind that Jean-Christophe Rufin presented his candidacy for the position of permanent secretary of the French Academy, Monday September 25, a few hours before the closing of registrations. In reality, the writer-doctor-diplomat had sent his e-mail on Saturday, but Pierre Rosenberg, the election dean, responsible for organizing the vote, only saw it two days later. After testing the waters in August, the author of Red Brazil However, he swore in recent days that he would not run, especially against his great friend Amin Maalouf. He changed his mind, finally offering himself a life-size popularity test. The election of Hélène Carrère d’Encausse’s successor will take place Thursday September 28, from 3 p.m.
By declaring himself at the last minute, Jean-Christophe Rufin is not giving himself the best chance. Several academicians, some of whom are close to the former ambassador, have since confided their confusion over this candidacy which he had seemed to give up. An experienced immortal predicted Tuesday, September 26, “seven or eight votes” for Rufin and at least double for Maalouf. Between the two novelists, the duel is also a choice of style. In Rufin, flamboyance, interpersonal skills in all circles, travel – this last year, he mentions on Instagram trips to Bulgaria, Singapore, Brunei, Chile, Mozambique, where he carried out a mission on behalf of from TotalEnergies, in San Francisco, a “tour” in Germany; in Maalouf benevolence, a sense of the collective and the work of the shadows, like that of the dictionary.
Internally, if Jean-Christophe Rufin has his supporters, like Angelo Rinaldi, former collaborator of L’Express, Amin Maalouf presents a unifying profile. Shortly after the death of Hélène Carrère d’Encausse, her name was the subject of an agreement between different “clans” of the Company. It is assured of this blessing that the Franco-Lebanese writer presented his candidacy. “After de Gaulle, we need a Pompidou,” an immortal confided to us a few days ago. Clearly, don’t try to make Hélène Carrère d’Encausse look less good. Amin Maalouf sometimes looks like François Hollande, in a “normal perpetual secretary” way.
Memory of Goncourt 2001
Jean-Christophe Rufin initially backed away from the hostility of certain members, quick to denounce his absenteeism, his collaboration with TotalEnergies or the disappearance of the mention “of the French Academy” from most of his latest books . What if everything had happened on November 5, 2001? That day, Rufin won the Goncourt prize in the sixth round with Brazil Red, in front of Strangers in the night, by Marc Lambron, by five votes to four. A victory at finish that the former ambassador, targeted by the vindictiveness of the writer-state councilor Lambron, who also became immortal, would pay today, Rufin’s supporters want to believe.
The fact remains that, contrary to what was predicted by certain academicians who nicknamed them “Zig and Puce”, neither Marc Lambron nor his accomplice François Sureau applied. On September 18, the meeting of the administrative commission of the Academy, in the presence of Rosenberg, Lambron, Sureau, Xavier Darcos and Jean-Marie Rouart, resulted in a rapid agreement on the voting method: absolute majority voting. of members present – which could pose a problem in the event of numerous blank ballots.
Another important event will take place during the session on Thursday, September 28. As tradition dictates, the acting director of the Academy, the poet Michael Edwards, will deliver the eulogy to Hélène Carrère d’Encausse. A task that he knows: in December 2020, he had already delivered a eulogy to Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, a few days after his death. A speech then unanimously welcomed by academicians.