Castex government

Castex government

42nd Government of French Fifth Republic
Castex in 2020
Date formed3 July 2020 (2020-07-03)
Date dissolved16 May 2022 (2022-05-16)
People and organisations
PresidentEmmanuel Macron
Prime MinisterJean Castex
Member parties
Status in legislatureMajority
345 / 577 (60%)
History
Election2017
PredecessorPhilippe II
SuccessorBorne

The Castex government (French: gouvernement Castex) was the forty-second government of the French Fifth Republic, formed on 3 July 2020 and headed by Jean Castex as Prime Minister under the presidency of Emmanuel Macron.[1] It was dissolved on 16 May 2022, after Élisabeth Borne was selected as prime minister following the re-election of Macron.

Context

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Formation

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Castex in 2020

After three years with the same government, the 2020 municipal elections raised the question of a new administration and led to speculations about a governmental reshuffle.[2] The performance of President Macron's party, La République En Marche! (LREM), at these elections strengthened the rumors.[3] On 3 July 2020, Édouard Philippe tendered the resignation of his government to the President of the Republic. The same day, the Élysée Palace informed the press that Jean Castex, incumbent Mayor of Prades, would replace him and form a new government, the third since the election of Macron.[4][5]

At the time of his appointment, Castex was very little known, only for his management of France's exit of lockdown following the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] The composition of the government was announced on 6 July 2020 by Alexis Kohler, Secretary-General of the Élysée Palace, with a sizeable number of ministers from the previous one retained.[7][8] Among the main changes, Gérald Darmanin, previously Minister for Public Accounts, replaced at the Interior Christophe Castaner who was heavily criticised by National Police's unions following accusations of violence and racism in their ranks.[9] However, the nomination of Darmanin was met with protests by feminist movements over accusations of rape in 2009, as well as the one of Minister of Justice Éric Dupond-Moretti for his defense as lawyer of men accused of rapes.[10]

The new cabinet also saw the return of Roselyne Bachelot, who previously served as minister under Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy, as well as Barbara Pompili, former Secretary of State for Biodiversity under François Hollande, while main portfolios holders, such as Jean-Yves Le Drian, Jean-Michel Blanquer, Bruno Le Maire or Florence Parly remained in office.

The Prime Minister delivered his policy speech before the National Assembly and asked for its confidence on 15 July 2020;[11][12] he obtained it by 345 votes out of 577.[13]

On 26 July, the remaining state secretaries were appointed.[14] Bruno Le Maire declared to be working at relaunching the French economy[15] while Castex said to be ready to reopen dialogue over a controversial pension reform. A plan for a new lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic was also said to be ready.[16]

Composition

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Ministers
Portfolio Name Party
Prime Minister Jean Castex SE
Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian TDP
Minister of National Education, Youth and Sports Jean-Michel Blanquer LREM
Minister of the Economy, Finance and Recovery Bruno Le Maire LREM
Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly TDP
Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin LREM
Minister of Labour, Employment and Integration Élisabeth Borne LREM
Minister of the Ecological Transition Barbara Pompili LREM
Minister of Territorial Cohesion and Relations with Local Authorities Jacqueline Gourault MoDem
Keeper of the Seals, Minister of Justice Éric Dupond-Moretti SE
Minister of Culture Roselyne Bachelot SE
Minister of the Overseas Sébastien Lecornu LREM
Minister of Solidarity and Health Olivier Véran LREM
Minister of the Sea Annick Girardin MR
Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation Frédérique Vidal LREM
Minister of Agriculture and Food Julien Denormandie LREM
Minister of Public Transformation and Service Amélie de Montchalin LREM
Deputy Ministers
Portfolio Attached minister Name Party
Minister for Relations with Parliament and Citizen Participation Prime Minister Marc Fesneau MoDem
Minister for Gender Equality, Diversity and Equal Opportunities Élisabeth Moreno LREM
Minister for Foreign Trade and Attractiveness Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Franck Riester Agir
Minister for Housing Minister of the Ecological Transition Emmanuelle Wargon LREM
Minister for Transport Jean-Baptiste Djebbari LREM
Minister for Public Accounts Minister of the Economy, Finance and Recovery Olivier Dussopt TDP
Minister for Industry Agnès Pannier-Runacher LREM
Minister for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Alain Griset LREM
Minister for Sports Minister of National Education, Youth and Sports Roxana Maracineanu SE
Minister for Memory and Veterans Affairs Minister of the Armed Forces Geneviève Darrieussecq MoDem
Minister for Citizenship Minister of the Interior Marlène Schiappa LREM
Minister for Integration Minister of Labour, Employment and Integration Brigitte Klinkert LREM
Minister for the City Minister of Territorial Cohesion and Relations with Local Authorities Nadia Hai LREM
Minister for Autonomy Minister of Solidarity and Health Brigitte Bourguignon LREM
State Secretaries
Portfolio Attached minister Name Party
Government Spokesman Prime Minister Gabriel Attal LREM
State Secretary for Disabled Persons Sophie Cluzel LREM
State Secretary for Tourism, the French Abroad and the Francophonie Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne LREM
State Secretary for European Affairs Clément Beaune LREM
State Secretary for Biodiversity Minister of the Ecological Transition Bérangère Abba LREM
State Secretary for Priority Education Minister of National Education, Youth and Sports Nathalie Élimas MoDem
State Secretary for Youth and Commitment Sarah El Haïry MoDem
State Secretary for Digital Transition and Electronic Communications Minister of the Economy, Finance and Recovery
Minister of Territorial Cohesion and Relations with Local Authorities
Cédric O LREM
State Secretary for the Social, Inclusive and Responsible Economy Minister of the Economy, Finance and Recovery Olivia Grégoire LREM
State Secretary for Pensions and Occupational Health Minister of Labour, Employment and Integration Laurent Pietraszewski LREM
State Secretary for Rurality Minister of Territorial Cohesion and Relations with Local Authorities Joël Giraud LREM
State Secretary for Children and Families Minister of Solidarity and Health Adrien Taquet LREM

References

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  1. ^ Government of the French Republic (3 July 2020). "Decree appointing the Prime Minister". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  2. ^ "France votes in municipal elections with Paris mayoral race in the balance". France 24. 28 June 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  3. ^ Chris O'Brien (29 June 2020). "France Elections: Green Wave Scrambles Macron's 2022 Reelection Bid". Forbes. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  4. ^ Presidency of the French Republic (3 July 2020). "Jean CASTEX nommé Premier ministre". elysee.fr (in French). Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  5. ^ "France's Macron picks Jean Castex as PM after Philippe resigns". BBC. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  6. ^ Michel Rose (3 July 2020). "France's Macron picks little-known civil servant as new prime minister". Reuters. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  7. ^ Government of the French Republic (7 July 2020). "Decree on the composition of the Government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  8. ^ Pascale Davies & Alasdair Sandford with AFP (6 July 2020). "New French government named under Prime Minister Jean Castex in Macron reshuffle". Euronews. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  9. ^ "French police protest against being 'abandoned' by the government". Radio France Internationale. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  10. ^ Adam Nossiter (8 July 2020). "Macron's New Cabinet Stirs Ire of French Feminists". New York Times. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  11. ^ Marion Mourgue (6 July 2020). "Remaniement : Jean Castex fera son discours de politique générale le 15 juillet". Le Figaro. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  12. ^ Sarah Belouezzane, Franck Johannès & Sylvia Zappi (16 July 2020). "Déclaration de politique générale de Jean Castex : l'opposition " déçue " à gauche comme à droite". Le Monde. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  13. ^ "Jean Castex obtient une large confiance de l'Assemblée nationale avec 345 votes favorables". France Info. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  14. ^ Government of the French Republic (26 July 2020). "Decree on the composition of the Government". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  15. ^ "Revamped French government takes office, tasked with restoring coronavirus-hit economy". France 24. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  16. ^ "Coronavirus, pension reform and more – what France's new PM has said so far". Euractiv. 9 July 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2020.