In England, we might have headlined with “understatement” the formation of the Fillon III Cabinet: “Changing the Guard,” akin to a card game with winners and losers. However, we could rather call this new Government one of “closure,” in opposition to the “opening” government that President Sarkozy had established at the beginning of his term.
We have clearly returned to basics, with a government of ministers rather than collaborators. Its political personnel should now exhibit a pronounced attitude for managing state affairs and somewhat less interest in image and publicity. In this context, one cannot help but be surprised at the choice to forgo a minister who demonstrated loyalty and commitment during the dark and delicate hours of the economic crisis that significantly affected the French industrial apparatus. Moreover, who brought A-M to the top of the pro-Sarkozy departments in the last presidential elections. Since Christian Estrosi was both… this should not have been without significance.
But we know that in politics, as much as in this world as the Gospel says, gratitude often means asking friends for sacrifices that one cannot ask of rivals or enemies.
So exit the mayor of Nice, while in his place goes one of the “defectors” of the former “opening” policy, Sarkozy’s “kapo” (as defined by the socialists): Eric Besson. It is true that in the meantime, the new Minister of Industry has fully engaged himself in his conversion to “his” new party to the point of becoming an important member in the UMP hierarchy.
With a lot of composure and fair play (at least officially), the now former minister accepted this situation with a certain disappointment, but without showing any bitterness. “I am not in tears. I remain a friend of Nicolas Sarkozy and one of the most powerful local elected officials in France for my political family,” are some of Christian Estrosi’s statements that can be read today in the local press.
It is true that in politics, honors come and go, and everything that happens must be put into perspective. Perhaps this experience will give Christian Estrosi, who is certainly a man of intuition and action, more philosophy and more reflection.
We do not know if the mayor of Nice is a reader of Albert Einstein’s works, but we allow ourselves to remind him of two passages from his writings that could be taken as examples for the new phase of his political life.
The 1st: “Success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration,” which could define his past and present.
The 2nd: “A man is old when his regrets surpass his dreams,” which could be a wish for his future.
As usual, Nice-Premium, which aims to be an independent and participatory voice of the local press, wished to give other protagonists of political life the opportunity to express themselves.
Patrick Allemand (PS):
“He dreaded this reshuffle so much that he was not present at the November 11 ceremonies in Nice, and he was right. Yesterday we learned that Deauville was ultimately preferred to Nice for the organization of the G8, it was an early sign. Estrosi is ousted from the government. It’s no surprise when we know the state of his relations with François Fillon. As soon as Fillon was reappointed, his end was near. It demonstrates in any case that, this time, Fillon set his conditions to stay at Matignon and was able to impose his choices. Estrosi was not part of it. He leaves the government through the back door, forgotten by France 2 in the exits. Undeniably the AM and the AM’s UMP come out weakened from this reshuffle because beyond Estrosi, one must realize that all the alternative solutions mentioned were dismissed. No Ciotti, no Leonetti, no Tabarot. At a time when the department is sinking into a lasting crisis and we would have needed so much relay in Paris, it is a handicap. One would believe that the Estrosi experience dissuaded the heavyweights of the UMP from taking someone from us again. For his passage to the industry will not leave an imperishable memory in France, and even less in the department. Christian Estrosi was never the minister of industry except in speech. He proclaimed himself the minister of workers, often spoke of re-industrialization, but in practice… nothing. He was actually the minister of deindustrialization (200,000 industrial jobs lost), the minister of company closures. For the department, he brought nothing, nothing where he was expected. Nothing to give a second wind to Sophia Antipolis, the Wipro affair was its symbol. Symbol of his passivity then of his impotence. Nothing to give significant impetus to the start of the Eco Valley OIN. What he couldn’t achieve yesterday in the government he has little chance of achieving now that he is outside, all the more so since the industry, in times of crisis, is not necessarily a portfolio where one only makes friends. Nothing for Nice either. No new company establishment, yet the minister of industry often had top bosses at his table. Another very symbolic failure, while he rubbed shoulders with all the top bosses of France and Europe by his function, he was not able to find a big buyer for the OGC Nice, proof of the little interest he has for this club dear to the people of Nice or proof of his inability. Pinault in Rennes, Aulas in Lyon, etc… in three years he did not open this file, settling for dealing with the 35,000-seater stadium while we have the second worst average number of spectators in Ligue 1 with 7,500 people! Weakened nationally, caricatured in numerous media, locally undermined by the UMP offensive in the West, Estrosi’s all-powerfulness falters for the first time since he took control of the departmental UMP. Through his excesses, his verbal blunders, he ended up weakening our city and giving it a bad image. This is indeed the most worrying. After willingly declaring himself the best asset of our city, the dream caught up with the reality, he is becoming a handicap for Nice.”
Marc Concas (PS):
“It’s the end of a farce that has been going on for 6 months. François Fillon resigned and is replaced by … François Fillon. Pitiful! It is the first time in the history of the 5th Republic that such torture has been inflicted on ministers by putting them in competition every day for 6 months. It is shameful and unworthy of the executive power. The names and personalities have no interest since it is always Sarkozy who governs alone.”
Fabien Benard (Modem):
“After 6 months of intense suspense, or almost, the reshuffle confirms the weakening of the President of the Republic: the Prime Minister imposed himself on him. After millions of French people in the streets, testifying to the suffering inflicted every day by this authority, the President found no other response than to confirm a team, a direction, and reinforce the same interests: The big winner of this reshuffle, pardon this ‘withdrawal’ can be summed up in three letters, UMP! Like François Bayrou, I note that none of the promises that had been made and repeated of a new listening to the French, of sustained openness, and of new momentum, has been kept. We can certainly be satisfied to see the rigor, so far carefully spared for the Authority, also applied to the Government which comes out more compact. But parity is not there. I note a novelty: for the first time in the history of the 5th Republic, a couple will now sit in the government. Patrick Ollier has been entrusted with the ministry in charge of Relations with Parliament, while his wife, Michèle Alliot-Marie, is appointed Minister of Foreign and European Affairs. However, this reshuffle is distinctly lacking in ambitions, which ultimately confirms the lack of ambition of this presidency. It seems the only motivation for this reshuffle was to discreetly remove Eric WOERTH. The people of Nice and the inhabitants of the urban community may be reassured to find a Mayor entirely dedicated to the mandate they entrusted to him. He will finally be able to complete a project for the City and remember his promises. The people from the Côte d’Azur, disregarded, will not find consolation in a Thierry Mariani, a delegate doctor for transport: this will probably not allow the advancement of the LGV file. Finally, political humor enthusiasts will rejoice at the return of Frédéric Lefebvre, with anthology statements in perspective, or the entry of Maurice Leroy. The joy of the latter will hide the sadness of the outgoing Minister of Defense. Unfortunately, I fear that for many French people, this announcement of a government on Sunday will change nothing in the daily difficulties. The state of our country is worrying, in a Europe that would have a card to play if each country does not favor its own assets. It is a need for Politics, for our world, not a spectacle or an episodic farce, and an urgency to build a ‘credible hope’ for the French, which is becoming pressing.”
Dominique Laporte (Debout la République):
“The President has lost his grip. Several months of reflection were necessary to reach a new Government that reflects the old one, except that the much-vaunted openness in 2007 has burnt out, and the much-emphasized diversity so far loses its main representatives. Note for the people of Nice, that they will find a full-time Mayor, Mr. ESTROSI not having been considered a useful element for the system put in place for 2012. Perhaps he will have a small compensation in the new staff that is emerging at the UMP? But the essential lesson of this reshuffle lies: 1 – In the re-appointment of Mr. FILLON who, through a skillful campaign, imposed himself on the President of the Republic 2 – By the probable appointment of Mr. COPE to the head of the UMP following a power struggle with Nicolas SARKOZY which turned to the advantage of the former. In both cases, UMP parliamentarians have played against the President of the Republic. The will of the party has prevailed over that of a President who has lost his grip. Nicolas SARKOZY’s speech at Colombey and his comparison with General de Gaulle seem quite derisory in view of reality.”
Jean-Cristophe Picard (PRG):
“Christian Estrosi finally keeps one of his promises! Christian Estrosi will finally – albeit reluctantly – be able to fulfill one of his promises! In his profession of faith sent just before the second round of municipal elections, he indeed made a clear commitment: ‘I will place myself entirely at the service of the people of Nice by resigning my ministerial functions to manage our city’… This promise is therefore now fulfilled. Since the (forced) resignations of Alain Joyandet and Christian Blanc, the mayor of Nice was undoubtedly in the hot seat. The affair of the two official residences that he claimed to occupy at the same time – one with his daughter – had at least undermined his credibility… The one who prided himself that this controversy had ‘fizzled’ was apparently wrong: in the country of unbridled right-wing politics, one does not forgive someone who is caught! It remains for Christian Estrosi only to try to explain to the people of Nice why a bad minister would make a good mayor. As for his daughter, she will have to return the accommodation – belonging to the Republic – she occupies free of charge.”
Robert Injey (PC):
“More than five months of dramatization to reach the least reshuffled reshuffle of the 5th Republic. Never has the expression ‘same old, same old’ been so true. Leonetti remains sidelined, Ciotti will not leave the 06 district, the only real consequence of this reshuffle is the full-time return of Christian Estrosi to Nice! Bad week for the former minister but still mayor-president, after losing the G20 to Cannes, now the ministry eludes him, not to mention that OGC Nice is settling deep into the standings while Christian Estrosi has to pass his project of a 245 million euro ‘Mega stadium’ during the municipal council on December 3… Yet Christian Estrosi has not spared his efforts on the themes: ‘Nice, the 3rd OIN in France’, ‘Nice Côte d’Azur the largest UMP urban community in France’, ‘Eco-valley the biggest ecological project in France’, ‘Olympic Stadium the first real ecological stadium in France’, ‘Nice the safest city because the most video-surveilled in France’… He has not spared his efforts in systematic security overkill, rivaled in this by E. Ciotti. But it was not enough… Beyond the personal future of Christian Estrosi, which, like the cabinet reshuffle, really only interests those directly involved, what lies ahead is not promising. Social regression and submission to financial markets are the only compasses of this ‘new’ team of a radicalized UMP increasingly removed from the concerns of our people”.
