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Spokesperson of the Government of France

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Spokesperson of Government
Porte-parole du Gouvernement
Sophie Primas (2024–present)
Incumbent
Sophie Primas
since 23 December 2024
Government of France
Type
StatusJunior minister
Member ofCouncil of Ministers
Reports toPrime Minister
SeatHôtel de Castries, Paris
NominatorPrime Minister
AppointerPresident
PrecursorMinister of Information
Formation22 June 1969; 55 years ago (1969-06-22)
First holderLéo Hamon

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.

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.

Sophie Primas has held the position in the Bayrou government since December 2024, with a rank of deputy minister under the prime minister.

History

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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

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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

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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

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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 16 July 2024 RE
Maud Bregeon
Deputy Minister under the Prime Minister 		Barnier 21 September 2024 5 December 2024 RE
Sophie Primas
Deputy Minister under the Prime Minister 		Bayrou 22 December 2024 Incumbent Independent

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ 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]
  2. ^ 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

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References

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ a b Ollivier-Yaniv, Caroline (2000). L'État communiquant (in French). Paris: Presses universitaires de France. pp. 102–108. ISBN 2-13-050952-5.
  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.
  6. ^ Biffaud, Olivier (1 April 1998). "Le remaniement gouvernemental renforce le ministère de Martine Aubry". Le Monde (in French). No. 16540. Paris. ISSN 0395-2037.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ Saurat-Dubois 2021, p. 5.

Primary sources

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  1. ^ "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.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ "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

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