The Minister of Culture confirmed her ambitions during the 2026 municipal elections. An objective compatible with the commitment demanded by Gabriel Attal from the government?
Rachida Dati has just been appointed Minister of Culture, and yet she already has a completely different project in mind. “My goal is Paris, of course I will be a candidate,” she confirmed to RTL Wednesday January 17. The one who has just given up the presidency of the main opposition group at the Council of Paris still wishes to dethrone Anne Hidalgo in 2026 and take office as mayor of the capital. Ambitions compatible with a ministerial position?
“Me, what I want is action, action, action” and “results, results, results”, insisted Gabriel Attal on TF1 on Thursday January 11, a few minutes later the announcement of the list of new members of his government. The young boss of Matignon then called for ministers “200% committed to meeting the expectations of the French”.
The choice of Emmanuel Macron
Can a minister be “200%” committed if her eyes are turned towards the 2026 municipal elections? Rachida Dati’s objective was in any case known before her appointment to the government. Even if the minister denied on RTL having made a “deal” with Emmanuel Macron with a view to the Paris election. In any case, it was the President of the Republic, and not the Prime Minister, who made the choice of Dati for Culture. Gabriel Attal is therefore forced to accept his minister’s dual agenda, even if it means lowering his own demands.
The mayor of the 7th arrondissement of Paris will not be the first member of a government to lead an electoral campaign in parallel with her functions. Several ministers were, for example, candidates for legislative elections 2022. During the last municipal elections in Paris, the Minister of Health Agnès Buzyn had to leave her position a few months before the election to lead the campaign for the Macronist camp.