If certain ministers of the Barnier government were drafted by the new Prime Minister François Bayrou, others ultimately only remained in office for three months. This is the case, among others, of Didier Migaud (Justice), Anne Genetet (National Education) or Antoine Armand (Economy). And despite a very brief period under the auspices of the republic, they benefit from the same advantages as their predecessors whose mandates were longer.
Contrary to popular belief, “there is no specific retirement for ministers” and even less salary for life, however, warns former MP René Dosière, president of the Observatory of Public Ethics to our colleagues of the site 20 minutes. In reality, former ministers or former secretaries of state “receive compensation equivalent to the salary they received in the government” for three months after ceasing their functions, specifies the official website Vie-publique.fr, unless they resume a paid activity before. This compensation amounts to approximately 10,600 euros gross per month for ministers and 10,100 euros gross for secretaries of state. “They keep their treatment for three months, it is not linked to the duration of their function”, specifies René Dosière. Until the law on transparency in public life of 2013, this duration was set at six months.
But to be able to receive this three-month pension, ministers and secretaries of state must meet several conditions, indicates The Parisian. You must obviously have been a member of the government, regardless of how long, and not have resumed a paid activity or a parliamentary seat during the three months following your departure from the government. For example, the former Minister of Health Geneviève Darrieussecq will not be entitled to it, since she will regain her seat as deputy for Landes in the Assembly, note Le Figaro. In addition, former members of the government “who have forgotten to declare all or part of their assets or their interests are deprived of their compensation”, recalls the site Vie-publique.fr.
Police protection on a case-by-case basis
As soon as power was handed over to their successor, the ministers of Michel Barnier’s government who were not reappointed also drew a line under their car and official accommodation, as well as first class travel by train. However, there may be some exceptions when it comes to police protection. For certain sovereign ministers (Defence, Interior, Army, etc.) who may have knowledge of sensitive files, police protection may continue, at the discretion of the new Minister of the Interior.
The advisors of ministers not reappointed by François Bayrou, who also lost their position, will also be able to receive temporary remuneration. Some of them will be able to receive a bonus, called “fall bonus”, revealed the site Politico Tuesday. It will amount to between 2,000 and 4,000 euros gross according to information from the online media, later confirmed by Le Figaro which specifies that this “fall bonus” will be paid to ex-ministerial advisors with contractual status – i.e. less than a quarter of the approximately 500 ex-advisors of the Barnier team – as well as to civil servants not reappointed.
Concerning Michel Barnier, the former tenant of Matignon will also be entitled to compensation for three months, unless he resumes paid activity before. Based on a salary of 12,457 euros gross monthly, or 37,000 euros for three months. According to the regulations, his status as former Prime Minister nevertheless grants him material and human resources, such as a company car with driver which he can have for life, as well as police protection if he wishes. According to the site franceinfoexpenses linked to the advantages granted to former Prime Ministers cost the State 1.42 million euros in 2023. But these advantages are “only on request, they are not obligatory advantages”, specifies René Dosière, always near 20 Minutes. Michel Barnier, who was so keen to reduce the state’s lifestyle, could thus give it up: he had in fact called on his predecessors to “be more sober and simpler”.