Close to Emmanuel Macron despite his departure to the private sector in September 2022, Julien Denormandie could make his return to macronie. Her name is mentioned to replace Élisabeth Borne at Matignon.
Julien Denormandie is one of the names that keeps coming back to occupy the position of Prime Minister and therefore, why not, replace Élisabeth Borne. He is one of the “Mormons” of Macronie, and benefits from the trust of heavyweights in the head of state’s entourage. Julien Denormandie is someone very estimable and in tune with his ideas” declared François Bayrou this Sunday on BFMTV. Enough to play in favor of his return to politics.
For his part, the former president of the National Assembly Richard Ferrand is also campaigning for his appointment to Matignon. A profile of a pure and hardline Macronist which would make it possible not to undermine the right too much, in fact, certain LR officials had praised his action as Minister of Agriculture from 2020 to 2022. In addition, Julien Denormandie’s main competitor, Sébastien Lecornu is not well regarded by some close to the head of state. The secretary general of the Élysée Alexis Kohler would like to see Matignon have a less influential profile. “If it’s Lecornu, it will be without me” finally declared the president of MoDem, François Bayrou according to Politico
Secretary of State to the Minister of Territorial Cohesion from June 2017 to October 2018, Julien Denormandie was then appointed Minister responsible for Cities and Housing. A position held from October 2018 to July 2020, before taking charge of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food until May 2022. Since then, return to the private sector for the native of Cahors (Lot). He was recruited by Sweep, a start-up providing advice on reducing carbon emissions for businesses. He holds the position of chief impact officer. “My goal is to be able to leverage my experience to help companies equip themselves with solid tools that will allow them to successfully achieve their climate objectives” he explained. Before taking up residence in Matignon?
Julien Denormandie Prime Minister, a credible hypothesis
At 43, could Julien Denormandie become the 26th Prime Minister of the Fifth Republic? Her name would be part of the shortlist from which Emmanuel Macron could choose, unless Élisabeth Borne is reinforced in her role. For Denormandie, this would be a reward for loyalty to the head of state. A man in the shadows, taciturn, Julien Denormandie is no less hardworking.
Quite the contrary. His “techno” and knowledgeable profile could argue in his favor, in the event that Emmanuel Macron seeks to surround himself with a particularly meticulous head of government. And with whom he can discuss the subjects without tongue-in-cheek. If the two men speak informally, Julien Denormandie could suffer from his “Macron bis” image attached to him. So, a little more patience for “Idéfix” as he would be nicknamed, especially since he has never faced the test of direct universal suffrage, having never been elected.
Julien Denormandie, a discreet former minister
If today his name is mentioned to become Prime Minister, Julien Denormandie almost never entered the government. And for good reason. One of the architects of Emmanuel Macron’s arrival to power in 2017 was in the process of joining the private sector before being caught by the sleeve by the new President of the Republic, who entrusted him with the Secretary of State to of the Minister of Territorial Cohesion.
At the end of June 2017, the man who graduated from the national school of rural engineering, water and forests landed a ministerial position. His prerogatives then consist of supporting Jacques Mézard in city policy, town planning and even housing. Despite the implementation of tax exemption schemes or even mobility leases, this anti-enlightenment suffered the wrath of budget cuts for the social housing sector by being whistled at during the sector’s annual congress for his first year at the ministry. No matter, he dives back into the files, moves forward and manages to convince professionals in the field. “He behaved like a very good student, he listened and took a lot of notes,” explained André Yché, president of CDC Habitat, to Opinion. Enough to turn things around despite continued budget cuts, although less thanks to its action.
The one who was promoted to Minister of the City and Housing in October 2018, under the authority of the Minister of Territorial Cohesion Jacqueline Gourault, also had to assume the €5 reduction in APL, although opposed to the measure . An early walker, Julien Denormandie took off in the summer of 2020 when Emmanuel Macron appointed him Minister of Agriculture in the Castex government. The agronomist then introduced support measures for farmers, authorized the use of neonicotinoid pesticides to ensure the beet harvest and intended to reform harvest insurance. Obviously not without attracting criticism, despite its discretion.
Biography of Julien Denormandie
Coming from a family whose uncle was a forestry engineer straight from the National School of Rural Engineering and Forests, Julien Denormandie took the same path by joining AgroParis Tech in 2000. He was then 20 years old. Two years later, he followed the same course as his uncle and, graduating after two more years of study, joined the Directorate of External Economic Relations of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. From 2004 to 2008, he saw four ministers at the head of the portfolio (Hervé Gaymard, Thierry Breton, Jean-Louis Borloo and Christine Lagarde). After a two-year stint at the French Embassy in Cairo as an economic advisor, he joined the General Directorate of the Treasury, responsible for the Middle East.
It was in 2012 that his career accelerated. Recruited as an advisor to Nicole Bricq, Minister of Foreign Trade, but also to Pierre Moscovici, Minister of Economy and Finance, Julien Denormandie must work with… Emmanuel Macron, then secretary general of the Elysée. A two-year collaboration which almost resulted in the creation of a start-up linking education and digital technology, supported by a certain Ismaël Emilien. The project fell apart when Emmanuel Macron landed at Bercy in the summer of 2014. In his suitcases, the future President of the Republic took Julien Denormandie on board, appointing him deputy chief of staff. Again, he will remain in office for two years.
It was then that, over the months, the project of a candidacy for the presidential election matured in Emmanuel Macron’s head. Julien Denormandie leaves Bercy to launch En Marche. He wrote the statutes of the new party, held the position of deputy secretary general alongside Richard Ferrand and worked in every way to bring LREM to power. He held the positions of Secretary of State to the Minister of Territorial Cohesion, Minister responsible for Cities and Housing, then Minister of Agriculture and Food before joining the private sector on September 5, 2022 and the start-up Sweep.