Spokesperson of the Government of France
The spokesperson of the Government (French: porte-parole du Gouvernment, in jargon PPG) is the minister in charge of the public relations of the Government of France.
| Spokesperson of Government | |
|---|---|
| Porte-parole du Gouvernement | |
| Government of France | |
| Type | |
| Status | Junior minister |
| Member of | Council of Ministers |
| Reports to | Prime Minister |
| Seat | Hôtel de Castries, Paris |
| Nominator | Prime Minister |
| Appointer | President |
| Precursor | Minister of Information |
| Formation | 22 June 1969 |
| First holder | Léo Hamon |
The position has existed since 1969, with interruptions. It is held either concurrently with a departmental or junior portfolio, or alone with a sinecure rank of junior minister. Its best-known duty is to hold a press conference after the weekly Council of Ministers.
The present spokeswoman is Prisca Thevenot, appointed on 11 January 2024 in the Attal government. She is concurrently the deputy minister for democratic renewal.
History edit
The position was created in 1969 by Jacques Chaban-Delmas, the first prime minister of Georges Pompidou; the first spokesman was Léo Hamon.[nb 1] As part of Chaban-Delmas's liberalization platform, it came in partial replacement to the earlier position of minister of information,[2] who had supervised the broadcasting services under state monopoly, and whose duties were transferred to the Office of the Prime Minister and to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. The Ministry of Information was restored by Pierre Messmer, Chaban-Delmas's successor, but eventually disbanded for good in 1974.[3][1][4]
Another new junior minister of 1969, Jacques Baumel, was put in charge of “public relations”, with an unclear distribution of responsibilities with Hamon. The position was discontinued in the next government, and the responsibilities of the spokesman were first defined in a decree of 24 July 1972[3][1] (“to report on the work of the Government and to provide information relating to the action of public authorities”).[c] Léo Hamon was nicknamed “Léo Parleur” (“Loudspeaker”, a pun on “Léo speaker”).[5]
All governments since 1983 have had a spokesperson, except for the 1st Rocard government (May–June 1988), in office fox six weeks between presidential and legislative elections, and for the Jospin government after a year (1998–2002).[nb 2] While a number of holders until the 1990s were experienced figures, younger politicians have since then been frequently chosen; Nicolas Sarkozy (1993–1995), Jean-François Copé (2002–2007), and Gabriel Attal (2020–2022) used their term to raise their profile by intervening on a number of topics.[7]
The president has at times had a spokesperson of his own, upgrading the position of press adviser; the most recent one was in 2017–2018. Some government departments have also appointed an official spokesperson.
Appointment and position edit
The position of spokesperson is held either concurrently with a departmental or junior portfolio, or associated with a sinecure position of junior minister (deputy minister or secretary of state) under the prime minister. When junior to a departmental minister, the holder nonetheless reports directly to the prime minister with regard to the duties of spokesperson.
As for all other members of the government, the appointment, and removal, is by the president on the proposal of the prime minister. The choice is based on personal considerations rather than determined by a concurrent portfolio: the position has been held several times by the minister in charge of the Budget or of relations with Parliament due to their transverse role, but also by the minister in charge of agriculture, culture, education, or women's rights. Jean-François Copé kept the position for five years while moving between three departments.
The spokesperson has a specific private office, separate from one attached to an additional portfolio; it is located at the hôtel de Castries, in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. The office is supported by the Government Information Service (SIG), although the SIG remains under the authority of the prime minister.
Responsibilities edit
The spokesperson has a dual role of “mouth and ear” of the Government, in charge not only of the usual responsibility of making public announcements and answering the news media, but also of staying attentive to public opinion and to report on it to the prime minister and other ministers.[4]
To that end, the holder is required to keep abreast of the ongoing issues dealt with by all government departments, and works with some of the close advisers to the president and prime minister. The spokesperson takes part to a number of meetings at which government policy and strategy are discussed and decided, and advises on how to promote them to the media and the general public. Any intervention is bound by prior statements made by the prime minister and by the responsible ministers.[7]
The spokesperson's best-known duty is to hold a press conference at the Élysée Palace, open to television cameras, after the meeting of the weekly Council of Ministers. Spokespersons also give regular interviews to explain and defend the government's handling of public affairs, either in general or on a specific current topic. Several former holders have commented on the uneasiness of the brief, such as François Baroin, who held it twice: “You can never be in a position to tell the whole truth. But I had made it my rule of never telling any sham. The job is after all about wooden language.”[7] A 2021 book of interviews called it a “lightning rod”.[8]
In light of the work involved, the spokesperson always attends the Council of Ministers by right, while most junior ministers only do when exceptionally summoned. It is the only minister who may take notes, which is by tradition forbidden to the others, although the president and the two senior civil servants who attend without taking part may do so.
List edit
| Holder and other position | Government | Term of office | Party | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presidency of Georges Pompidou | |||||||
| Léo Hamon Secretary of State under the Prime Minister[nb 1] | Chaban-Delmas | 22 June 1969 | 15 May 1972 (moved) | UDR | |||
| Jean-Philippe Lecat Secretary of State under the Prime Minister[nb 1] | Chaban-Delmas 1st Messmer | 15 May 1972 (joined) | 2 April 1973 | UDR | |||
| Position in abeyance | |||||||
| Presidency of Valéry Giscard d'Estaing | |||||||
| André Rossi Secretary of State under the Prime Minister | 1st Chirac | 8 June 1974 | 25 August 1976 | CR | |||
| Position in abeyance | |||||||
| Presidency of François Mitterrand | |||||||
| Position in abeyance | |||||||
| Max Gallo Secretary of State under the Prime Minister | 3rd Mauroy | 22 March 1983 | 18 June 1984 (resigned) | PS | |||
| Roland Dumas Minister of European Affairs | 3rd Mauroy Fabius | 18 June 1984 (additional portfolio) | 7 December 1984 (other portfolio kept) | PS | |||
| Georgina Dufoix Minister of Social Affairs and National Solidarity | Fabius | 7 December 1984 (additional portfolio) | 20 March 1986 | PS | |||
| Alain Juppé Deputy Minister for the Budget under the Minister of the Economy, Finance and Privatization | 2nd Chirac | 20 March 1986 | 10 May 1988 | RPR | |||
| Position in abeyance | |||||||
| Claude Évin Minister of Solidarity, Health and Social Protection | 2nd Rocard | 28 June 1988 | 14 September 1989 (other portfolio kept) | PS | |||
| Louis Le Pensec Minister of Overseas Departments and Territories | 2nd Rocard | 14 September 1989 (additional portfolio) | 15 May 1991 | PS | |||
| Jack Lang Minister of Culture and Communication | Cresson | 16 May 1991 | 2 April 1992 | PS | |||
| Martin Malvy Secretary of State for Relations with Parliament under the Prime Minister | Bérégovoy | 4 April 1992 | 2 October 1992 (moved) | PS | |||
| Louis Mermaz Minister for Relations with Parliament | Bérégovoy | 2 October 1992 (moved) | 29 March 1993 | PS | |||
| Nicolas Sarkozy Minister for the Budget | Balladur | 30 March 1993 | 19 January 1995 (other portfolio kept) | RPR | |||
| Philippe Douste-Blazy Deputy Minister for Health under the Minister for Social Affairs, Health and Urban Affairs | Balladur | 19 January 1995 (additional portfolio) | 11 May 1995 | UDF (CDS) | |||
| Presidency of Jacques Chirac | |||||||
| François Baroin (1st) Secretary of State under the Prime Minister | 1st Juppé | 18 May 1995 | 7 November 1995 | RPR | |||
| Alain Lamassoure Deputy Minister for the Budget under the Minister of the Economy and Finance | 2nd Juppé | 7 November 1995 | 2 June 1997 | UDF (PR) | |||
| Catherine Trautmann Minister of Culture and Communication | Jospin | 4 June 1997 | 30 March 1998 (other portfolio kept) | PS | |||
| Position in abeyance[nb 2] | |||||||
| Jean-François Copé Secretary of State for Relations with Parliament under the Prime Minister (2002–2004) Deputy Minister for the Interior under the Minister of the Interior, Homeland Security, and Local Liberties (March–November 2004) Deputy Minister for the Budget and Budget Reform under the Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industry (2004–2005) Deputy Minister for the Budget and Government Reform under the Minister of the Economy and Finance (2005–2007) | 1st, 2nd, 3rd Raffarin Villepin | 7 May 2002 | 15 May 2007 | UMP | |||
| Presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy | |||||||
| Christine Albanel Minister of Culture and Communication | 1st Fillon | 18 May 2007 | 18 June 2007 | UMP | |||
| Laurent Wauquiez Secretary of State under the Prime Minister | 2nd Fillon | 19 June 2007 | 18 March 2008 (moved) | UMP | |||
| Luc Chatel Secretary of State for Industry and Consumer Affairs under the Minister of the Economy, Industry and Employment (2008–2009) Minister of National Education (2009–2010) | 2nd Fillon | 18 March 2008 (moved) | 13 November 2010 | UMP | |||
| François Baroin (2nd) Minister for the Budget, Public Accounts, the Civil Service and Government Reform | 3rd Fillon | 14 November 2010 | 29 June 2011 (moved) | UMP | |||
| Valérie Pécresse Minister for the Budget, Public Accounts and Government Reform | 3rd Fillon | 29 June 2011 (moved) | 10 May 2012 | UMP | |||
| Presidency of François Hollande | |||||||
| Najat Vallaud-Belkacem Minister of Women’s Rights | 1st–2nd Ayrault | 16 May 2012 | 31 March 2014 | PS | |||
| Stéphane Le Foll Minister of Agriculture, Agrifood and Forestry | 1st–2nd Valls Cazeneuve | 2 April 2014 | 10 May 2017 | PS | |||
| Presidency of Emmanuel Macron | |||||||
| Christophe Castaner Secretary of State for Relations with Parliament under the Prime Minister | 1st–2nd Philippe | 17 May 2017 | 24 November 2017 (other position kept) | LaREM | |||
| Benjamin Griveaux Secretary of State under the Prime Minister | 2nd Philippe | 24 November 2017 (moved) | 27 March 2019 (resigned) | LaREM | |||
| Sibeth Ndiaye Secretary of State under the Prime Minister | 2nd Philippe | 31 March 2019 (joined) | 3 July 2020 | LaREM | |||
| Gabriel Attal Secretary of State under the Prime Minister | Castex | 6 July 2020 | 16 May 2022 | LaREM | |||
| Olivia Grégoire Secretary of State under the Prime Minister | Borne | 20 May 2022 | 4 July 2022 (moved) | LaREM | |||
| Olivier Véran Deputy Minister for Democratic Renewal under the Prime Minister | Borne | 4 July 2022 (moved) | 9 January 2024 | LaREM | |||
| RE (renamed) | |||||||
| Prisca Thevenot Deputy Minister for Democratic Renewal under the Prime Minister | Attal | 11 January 2024 | Incumbent | RE | |||
See also edit
- Minister of Information (France) – Earlier equivalent position (1938–1974)
- Category:Political spokespersons – Foreign counterparts
- Public relations
Notes edit
- ^ a b c Although Léo Hamon was announced as spokesman of the Government, his position as defined by the decree appointing the ministers was as secretary of state under the prime minister, as for his successor Jean-Philippe Lecat. Lecat’s title first appeared in an appointment decree with the next government in July 1972.[1][a][b]
- ^ a b Catherine Trautmann (1997–1998) was discharged at her request in order to focus on her concurrent position of minister of culture, and the duties were assumed with no formal appointment by the minister for relations with Parliament (Daniel Vaillant, then Jean-Jack Queyranne).[6]
Citations edit
References edit
- ^ a b c Silvera, Victor (September–October 1972). "La structure du huitième gouvernement de la Vème République". La Revue administrative (147). Paris: 484–492. ISSN 0035-0672. JSTOR 40765408. pp. 486–487.
- ^ Machelon, Jean-Pierre (2007) [Delivered 1996]. "Chaban-Delmas et les libertés". In Lachaise, Bernard; Le Béguec, Gilles; Sirinelli, Jean-François (eds.). Jacques Chaban-Delmas en politique (Conference proceedings) (in French). Paris: Presses universitaires de France. pp. 223–236. doi:10.3917/puf.lach.2007.01.0223. ISBN 978-2-13-056138-5.
- ^ a b Silvera, Victor (July–August 1969). "La structure du septième gouvernement de la Cinquième République". La Revue administrative (133). Paris: 444–452. ISSN 0035-0672. JSTOR 40764645. p. 447.
- ^ a b Ollivier-Yaniv, Caroline (2000). L'État communiquant (in French). Paris: Presses universitaires de France. pp. 102–108. ISBN 2-13-050952-5.
- ^ Amson, Daniel (1996). "Éloge de Léo Hamon" (PDF). Revue d'histoire des facultés de droit et de la culture juridique (in French) (17). Paris: Société pour l’histoire des facultés de droit et de la science juridique: 137–157. ISSN 0989-7925. p. 153.
- ^ Biffaud, Olivier (1 April 1998). "Le remaniement gouvernemental renforce le ministère de Martine Aubry". Le Monde (in French). No. 16540. Paris. ISSN 0395-2037.
- ^ a b c Mourgue, Marion (4 July 2012). "Porte-parole du gouvernement, un art difficile". Les Inrockuptibles (in French). No. 866. Paris. ISSN 0298-3788.
- ^ Saurat-Dubois 2021, p. 5.
Primary sources edit
- ^ "Décret du 22 juin 1969 portant nomination des membres du Gouvernement". Journal officiel de la République française. Lois et décrets (in French). No. 146, 101st year. Paris (published 23 June 1969). 22 June 1969. p. 6371. ISSN 0373-0425 – via Légifrance.
- ^ "Décret du 7 juillet 1972 portant nomination des membres du Gouvernement". Journal officiel de la République française. Lois et décrets (in French). No. 158, 104th year. Paris (published 7 July 1972). 6 July 1972. p. 7059. ISSN 0373-0425 – via Légifrance.
- ^ "Décret nº 72-683 du 25 juillet 1972 relatif aux attributions du secrétaire d'État auprès du Premier ministre, porte-parole du Gouvernement". Journal officiel de la République française. Lois et décrets (in French). No. 172, 104th year. Paris (published 25 July 1972). 24 July 1972. p. 7852. ISSN 0373-0425 – via Légifrance.
Sources edit
- Le Bart, Christian (2022). "Porte-parole du gouvernement : un rôle impossible ?". In Hayat, Samuel; Kaciaf, Nicolas; Passard, Cédric (eds.). Le Porte-parole. Fondements et métamorphoses d'un rôle politique (in French). Villeneuve-d’Ascq: Presses universitaires du Septentrion. doi:10.4000/books.septentrion.131421. ISBN 978-2-7574-3714-8.
- Ollivier-Yaniv, Caroline (July–September 2019). "La communication gouvernementale, un ordre en négociation". Revue française d'administration publique (in French) (171). Strasbourg: École nationale d'administration: 669–680. doi:10.3917/rfap.171.0669. ISSN 0152-7401 – via Cairn.info.
- Saurat-Dubois, Anne (2021). Profession, paratonnerre (in French). Paris: L’Observatoire. ISBN 979-10-329-1753-4. – Based on interviews with former spokespersons.
External links edit
- Prisca Thevenot on the Government portal (in French)
- Press conferences by the spokesperson after Councils of Ministers on the Government portal (in French)