Diaries are getting lighter and some ministers have already taken to their heels. But without cutting off their phone, because Elisabeth Borne called them to “vigilance” during the summer break, which will be particularly “studious” for those newly appointed to the government.
As usual Emmanuel Macron has planned to spend two or three weeks at Fort Brégançon, a presidential residence overlooking the Mediterranean located in Bormes-les-Mimosas (Var), where he arrived during the weekend according to the local press.
But the Elysee has not confirmed this information while the crisis in Niger, where France has decided to evacuate its nationals, risks occupying the executive this summer.
After chairing a last Council of Ministers remotely from Noumea on July 26, the Head of State convened a defense council on Saturday devoted to this country, where a coup d’etat overthrew elected President Mohamed Bazoum, an ally of France.
Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne must leave for her part on Wednesday evening on leave in the south of the country, but will remain “mobilized”.
“I’m going to walk, I really like that,” she said on BFMTV. With “a lot of reading and a little rest” and above all “vigilance”, each minister being asked as every year to stay at a reasonable distance from a prefecture.
“Obviously you have to rest” but “also be on the bridge, ready to react if there is a difficulty”, warned the head of government.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna had taken the direction of Touraine on Monday but she had to return to Paris “to manage the crisis” in Niger. This also concerns his colleague at Defense Sébastien Lecornu, who has planned to stay in Eure.
Stanislas Guerini, Minister of Public Service, will go to the Basque coast, where he has family ties. He will take the opportunity to meet Wednesday in Anglet public officials mobilized during the holidays.
For the graduates of the new government reshuffled on July 20, Gabriel Attal at Education, in full preparation for the start of the school year, will take very little vacation.
As for the Minister of Health Aurélien Rousseau, surprised by the reshuffle, he will go to the Gard where he is elected, but will above all “work on his files” and travel to the field, “on alert” on the emergency services often tense at this time and on the heat.
The new Minister of Solidarity Aurore Bergé, who left Monday with her family between Normandy and the mountains, will take a “studious rest”.
The Secretary of State for the City, Sabrina Agresti-Roubache, also a novice in government, will go to Corsica, where her husband is rector, and to the Alpes-Maritimes, and will look into some files for the start of the school year.
The Minister of Research and Higher Education Sylvie Retailleau will go and relax with her family in the Alpes-Maritimes, where she will take the opportunity to see the film “Oppenheimer” which traces the life of the American physicist who invented the atomic bomb. A Côte d’Azur destination also chosen by Minister of Justice Eric Dupond-Moretti.
Passionate about cycling, Roland Lescure Minister Delegate for Industry will not fail to ride the little queen during his break in the South West.
Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra headed for Loire-Atlantique on Sunday for a few days of vacation which will be “studious, before embarking on the home stretch towards the Olympic Games”.
Jean-Noël Barrot (Digital) will go to Brittany and Auvergne, where his late father and former minister Jacques Barrot comes from, and will work on his bill aimed at regulating the digital space.
Many ministers have chosen the South. Bruno Le Maire (Economy), left Tuesday for Chamonix in Haute-Savoie, will then go to the Basque country, to read and spend time with family.
Government spokesman Olivier Véran will be on leave in the Southeast, like Marc Fesneau (Agriculture) in the Alps.
The ministers have an appointment on August 23 in Paris for the back-to-school Council of Ministers.
08/01/2023 12:44:47 – Paris (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
