It took three decades for a woman to return to Matignon. This Monday, Emmanuel Macron appointed Elizabeth Bourne as prime minister. This preference for an ecological and inclusive transition breaks down with more than 30 years of male transfer only, before landing in the Ministry of Labor, then Minister of Transport.
Replacing Jeanne Castex, who resigned on Monday, Elizabeth Bourne, 61, thus became the second woman after Edith Cresson to settle in Mattigan. During François Mitterrand’s second seven-year term, from May 1991 to April 1992, the pioneer held the position for less than 11 months.
Yet admired by 73% of the French at the time, Edith Cresson had a particularly difficult reception and was the target of several sexist attacks from politicians and talk shows of the time, where she was sometimes referred to as Mitterrand “bootlicker”. was depicted as. Asked by the JDD this Sunday about the absence of women in this position, the former prime minister said: “It is not the country that is masculine: it is its political class”. And called on the newcomer “a lot of courage”. wished.
“France is a particularly backward country in its political class”
When asked about BFMTV following Elizabeth Bourne’s official appointment, Edith Cresson lauded a “remarkable person, with great experience”. “It’s a great option,” she rejoices. “It was high time,” she also remarked. “France is a particularly backward country in its political class. We have to see how women are treated in the legislature. The president must have realized that it was time. It is astonishing that we have waited so long.” ” Edith Cresson also thinks that Elizabeth Bourne “will suffer fewer attacks than I was before”.
In terms of female prime ministers, France has actually delayed much more than its European neighbours. In the United Kingdom, Margaret Thatcher held power for eleven years, beginning in May 1979. María de Lourdes Pintasilgo was appointed Prime Minister of Portugal in 1979. Angela Merkel was the head of Germany for sixteen years.
For the past few days, the name Elizabeth Bourne has been circulating a lot in political circles, among other women, to the left and to the right. Ex-LR and Grand Reims president Catherine Voutrin was also approached for the post of prime minister. A track that worried many officials in the majority, especially because of the latter’s conservative positions.
Emmanuel Macron had indicated that he was considering selecting a woman, and his ministers confirmed this. On Monday 25 April on BFMTV, the Secretary of State for European Affairs, Clément Beain, assured that “Emmanuel Macron will, of course, appoint a woman to Matigan”.
In early 2017, the head of state showed his preference for a woman in this position. He had to get re-elected to keep his promise. With this choice, the leaders of the Renaissance (ex-LREM) are trying to send a progressive signal, while the great cause of Macron’s second five-year term is once again gender equality. Also a way of responding to some feminist unions who criticized her for her first five-year term, which was too timid on the question of women’s place despite a united government.
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