The former Prime Minister gathered her teams Monday evening on rue de Varenne for an emotional farewell, before her departure from the government.
After submitting her resignation to the President of the Republic on Monday January 8 at the end of the afternoon, Elisabeth Borne brought together a few colleagues for an impromptu farewell drink at the Hôtel de Matignon. An evening intense in emotions, two guests confided to the media Politico. Several ministers were invited, as well as members of Borne’s cabinet and Matignon’s administration.
Among the guests at this farewell party was the Minister responsible for relations with Parliament Franck Riester, as well as the Minister of Solidarity Aurore Bergé, the Minister of Transformation and Public Service Stanislas Guerini, the Minister of Culture Rima Abdul-Malak, the Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castera, the Minister of Public Accounts Thomas Cazenave and the Minister of Industry Rolland Lescure. The former President of the National Assembly and short-lived Minister of Territorial Cohesion Richard Ferrand was also present.
“You served the State with me”
A few streets from the Elysée where negotiations continued around the appointment of her successor, Elisabeth Borne spoke in front of her closest collaborators to “thank everyone”, in particular her team at Matignon. “You served the State with me,” she declared, “very touched” according to some guests. A few tears were even shed in the audience.
Elisabeth Borne left Matignon early Tuesday afternoon, after almost twenty months as head of government. His successor, Gabriel Attal, praised “a Prime Minister of action and courage” whose “personal history” and “ethics” made “an example” for “ministers, for parliamentarians and for the French .”