In the incessant waltz of culture ministers over the past thirty years, Rachida Dati, by being re-elected to her post on Saturday 21 September, avoids being the most ephemeral tenant of the rue de Valois. The fifth minister of culture (and now “heritage”) under President Emmanuel Macron will have done everything possible to save her post – which she has held only since 11 January – or rather her presence in the new government.
On August 28, on France Inter, the future candidate for the 2026 municipal elections in Paris called for a coalition between the presidential camp and the Republican right to find a prime minister and did not hide her desire to remain in the future government: “If we can be useful to France, I will not say no.” And apparently his legal problems don’t matter. Accused since July 2021 of “passive corruption”, “passive influence peddling” AND “concealment of abuse of power” In the context of an investigation into her legal advisory services to the former CEO of the Renault-Nissan alliance, Carlos Ghosn, Rachida Dati’s future remains pending the final indictment of the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office. She is at risk of being referred to the criminal court.
Throughout the summer, the resigning minister will not have set foot in the regional festivals, even abandoning the main courtyard of the Avignon festival. But he has continued to fight to continue to exist, announcing on July 11 a three-year plan of 98 million euros to improving access to cultural activities in rural areas, welcoming all the artists who took part in the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on 26 August and increasing interventions in the media or on X (formerly Twitter). Whether it is taking on his hat as an elected Parisian or that of unwavering supporter of the President of the Republic, we have read or heard him calm the ardor of his bitter enemy Anne Hidalgo on the maintenance of the Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower, or strongly criticizing former Macronist ministers for their lack of recognition of Emmanuel Macron.
An even more tense economic context
Rachida Dati, the “war prize” of the head of state of the Republican faction, briefly managed to reassure a cultural sector stupefied by her appointment. The former Minister of Justice of Nicolas Sarkozy was not expected on the rue de Valois. She knew it. “I understand that my arrival here may be a surprise. It does not surprise me. It responds to the need of France, which is often called popular – sometimes with a bit of contempt – and which must feel represented.”defended, with her usual frankness, the LR mayor of 7my district of Paris during the transfer of power, on January 12, with Rima Abdul Malak.
You have 67.24% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.
