The Ministry of National Education should return to a woman. Two quite different profiles are starting with a head start: the resigning minister Nicole Belloubet, and the LR vice-president of the National Assembly, Annie Genevard.
“It’s quite a tight squeeze on the Matignon side. Barnier remains very discreet about the content of the casting” confided a source close to the Elysée to Parisian Sunday evening. The Prime Minister, who is said to have started contacting future ministers this weekend, is said to be looking for experienced figures who are also capable of representing the balance of power between the political camps in the Assembly.
And in National Education, time is pressing, perhaps more than elsewhere. This portfolio and the missions inherent to the position represent a colossal project for Michel Barnier. If France did not have a fully functioning government after the dissolution of the National Assembly wanted by Emmanuel Macron and the defeat of the former presidential majority in the early legislative elections, it is for the time being, the resigning minister Nicole Belloubet who is managing current affairs. At the same time, the start of the school year has already taken place, without a new Minister of National Education.
Nicole Belloubet, set to stay?
On August 27, the resigning Minister of National Education Nicole Belloubet presented the broad outlines of this unprecedented 2024 school year with several measures that will, in the future, be the responsibility of her successor. Level groups, budget, middle school diploma… Various subjects were raised, before the fateful question: Does Nicole Belloubet intend to continue her mission as minister, despite the fall of the Attal government? The latter first mentioned a “time for action” before the start of the school year on September 2, highlighting a “somewhat unprecedented context on the political level”.
On the other hand, she did not rule out the possibility of remaining in office: “You are never a candidate for a ministerial position. But if you ask me if I want to continue, the answer is yes. I am also capable of going mushroom picking in the fall,” she explained, not without humor. For his part, the new tenant of MatignonMichel Barnier is continuing his consultations with a view to appointing a government, which should happen “next week”, he declared on Wednesday in Reims during his visit to the parliamentary day of the Horizons party. In less than a week, Nicole Belloubet will be informed about her future and a hypothetical picking in the forest.
Annie Genevard (LR) would “obviously make her full contribution”
Nicole Belloubet is not the only one who is interested in the position of Minister of National Education. A second woman did not hesitate to clearly announce her wish to join the Barnier government. This is the LR MP for Doubs, Annie Genevard. Speaking to Sud Radio on Wednesday 11 September, she announced that she would “certainly accept” the position if it were offered to her. “Logic” dictates that her political party should participate in Michel Barnier’s government, she explains. “I think that education is a major issue (…) these are subjects that I believe I know and I would obviously make my full contribution if necessary”, she specifies. The former mayor of Morteau (Doubs), however, indicated that she had not received an offer from the new head of government.“It is the Prime Minister who decides whether he thinks I can be useful in this role, and I would accept it with enthusiasm and seriousness,” says the 67-year-old elected official.
Annie Genevard was born on September 7, 1956 in Audincourt (Doubs). She studied classical literature and obtained her CAPES. A high school French teacher at first, she started in politics in 1995 in the municipal team of the mayor of Morteau, Jean-Marie Binetruy. In 2002, she became mayor of the town. Regional councilor two years later, it was not until 2021 that she was appointed deputy vice-president of the Republicans. A UMP and LR executive, she was propelled to interim president of the Republicans when Christian Jacob left the presidency, from July to December 2022. Since January 18, 2023, she has held the position of secretary general of LR. Until becoming vice-president of the National Assembly, since July 19, 2024.