There may be a parallel world where the passage of Pap Ndiaye to the Ministry of National Education is a success. In our reality, the conditions have never been met for the intellectual to succeed. Emmanuel Macron drew the consequences by replacing him, this Thursday, July 20, by Gabriel Attal. When the President of the Republic appointed him to the government, in May 2022, he was well aware of the particularities of the professor at Sciences Po: a specialist in the history of the United States and questions of discrimination, he was committed against racism and campaigned for the Representative Council of Black Associations (Cran).
In the virulent debate which opposes the “woke” thought to the defenders of universalism, he has taken positions out of step with the social-democratic current to which he belongs. For example, he defends the notion of “structural racism” concerning France. The almost chemically pure opposite of Jean-Michel Blanquer, his predecessor. And the symbol pleases the Head of State, who sees it as a representation of his “at the same time” and “equal opportunities”, as he asserted in June. Emmanuel Macron is making a first mistake here: he underestimates the vigor and longevity of the movement which is set in motion against his minister.
Emmanuel Macron’s second mistake is due to a poor appreciation of Pap Ndiaye’s temperament. The President of the Republic thinks of making him his André Malraux, his organic intellectual theorizing the progressive dimension of Macronism. No doubt, the historian is a true intellectual, with the lofty view and the subtlety that goes with it. But the political debate is not conducted with speckled foils. Too “straight in his boots”, Ndiaye struggles as soon as he has to respond to a controversy. The verve and the taste of blood miss him. On the question of abayas, these long dresses worn in countries where a rigorous Islam is practiced, and which burst into French high schools, the minister tackling, refuses to decide. Heads of establishments are called upon to assess for themselves whether the clothing is religious or not. As for the controversy over his remarks on Cnews, which he describes as a “very clearly far-right” channel, it suffices to watch the video of his appearance on Radio J to see that the remarks are not prepared. The intellectual responds in all sincerity to the question posed and revived. A mistake that a real politician would probably not have made.
Anti-Claude Allegre
Like a real politician would not have let himself be torpedoed by his only major reform. In February 2023, he announced that he wanted to reform the school mix, and make more use of private establishments, which are structurally favored. Two months later, the project is emptied of all ambition. The coercive measures disappear. On May 11, an hour after announcing to the rectors that his mixed plan was postponed to a later date, Pap Ndiaye receives L’Express to discuss his intellectual commitments as a youth. At the exit, one of his advisers questions us, ironically: “So, you have passed the stage of elementary school?” Too quirky, no doubt, the minister inspires fluctuating respect in his teams.
Far from having the maneuvering energy of a Claude Allègre, Pap Ndiaye had seemed to come to terms with the situation. “I’m not interested in leaving my name on the reform wall,” he explained recently to L’Express. He confided to being touched by the campaign led by the right and the extreme right against him: “I still have the impression of being particularly targeted.”
Basically, Pap Ndiaye could have been a good minister in calm weather. In the France of the glorious Thirties, his poise and elegance would have worked wonders. In the burning context of the France of 2023, it did not do the trick.