Rachida Dati, who will join the Ministry of Culture in January 2024, could keep her position in the next government of Prime Minister Michel Barnier.
The composition of the new government is becoming clearer. Michel Barnier plans to appoint 38 ministers, 16 of whom will be full-time ministers. To do this, the Prime Minister consulted the various political forces in the Assembly, especially the right and the presidential camp, before presenting a list of ministers to Emmanuel Macron on Thursday, September 19. Some ministers appointed last January are expected to keep their positions or a place within the executive. While many ministers are set to leave, the Prime Minister has already stated that others will stay and will be required to keep their ministry. This is the case for Rachida Dati. According to The ParisianMichel Barnier personally informed her on Thursday, September 19, of his continued position at the Ministry of Culture.
After criticizing Emmanuel Macron for years, the mayor of the 7th arrondissement of Paris moved to the Ministry of Culture nine months ago to replace Rima Abdul-Malak. Considering Macronists as “traitors of the left and right” until last January, Rachida Dati surprised more than one by becoming a fervent defender of the President of the Republic. A change of opinion that surprises, but which allows her to continue her political career even after the bitter failure of the presidential camp and the right in the legislative elections.
Between Dati and Macron, mutual support
She did not hesitate to publicly display her support for Emmanuel Macron in a recent tweet against Édouard Philippe and Jean-Michel Blanquer, who openly questioned certain decisions of the head of state. “Elegance and recognition should lead to more respect for the presidential institution and the man who allowed you to act and even exist on the political level,” she wrote on September 3.
If she shows her support for the head of state, Rachida Dati would have benefited from help from Emmanuel Macron in return with a view to forming the new government. According to Politico, the President of the Republic pushed the name of the resigning minister to Michel Barnier. However, the request must not have been the most difficult to get accepted by Michel Barnier since the Parisian mayor comes from the same political family as the Prime Minister: the right wing of the Republicans.
Her appointment was a surprise, as were some of her positions. Known for her impetuosity, she did not hesitate to use her frankness with the world of culture. Despite only a few months in office, she had time to announce a major measure. A €98 million plan to promote access to culture in rural areas. An announcement that she will be able to implement if she remains in the next Barnier government.
Before the name of Rachida Dati, no hypothesis was put forward concerning the future Minister of Culture. A sign that the resigning minister has always been the preferred solution or rather of the absence of volunteers for the post?