Who is Jean Castex, France’s New Prime Minister?

Known as ‘Monsieur Déconfinement’ for his masterful handling of France’s exit from lockdown, the 55 year old mayor of the French Catalonian town of Prades is, on the face of it, and excellent choice to take over from Édouard Philippe at the Hôtel de Matignon, the headquarters and official residency of the French prime minister.
Emmanuel Macron has spoken of his desire to reinvent his presidency and set out on a new path, and with the Castex appointment and the subsequent cabinet reshuffle there will be plenty of new faces in government by Bastille day.

The new prime minister is known for inspiring dedication in his colleagues, with one stating, “We’d follow him to Mars,” which is a very good thing indeed as the surface of the Red Planet is only slightly  less inhospitable than ‘the hell of Matignon’, with few prime ministers lasting as long as the previous incumbent’s three years in office.
Adept at clearing political obstacles, Castex’ capacity to push through reform was one of his most attractive features to a president who has staked his reputation on reforming many aspects of French society.  An iron fist in a velvet glove, the former advisor to President Sarkozy’s performance during the Covid-19 crisis put the Catalan on Macron’s radar.

Speaks his mind

Named in April as the minister in charge of steering France out of lockdown, he did not shy away from the task at hand, stating at the time, “It’s an extremely difficult role, but I was trained to be a servant of the state and my personal belief is that when my country needs me, I answer the call without hesitation.”  
His label as a Sarkozyist may well have given Macron pause, but after several weeks of chaotic response to the pandemic, Castex’ calming hand on the tiller assuaged all doubts. He even earned the nickname ‘vice prime minister’ with Édouard Phillippe calling him “a redoubtably effective civil servant.” It seemed the temp impressed his boss enough to earn an instant promotion.

Some might view Castex as a country bumpkin, but you don’t need to be a smooth operator from a chic Paris suburb to be successful in French politics. And don’t be fooled by his sing-songy southern lilt, Castex’ candor could make a seasoned senator blush, as was evidenced recently when he gave members of the senate a dressing-down after they had the temerity to question his plan for easing the lockdown.

But for the new prime minister, being outspoken does not come naturally, quite the opposite in fact, according to Nicholas Sarkozy, who helped mold Castex into the sharp political operator he is today, having discovered him through Raymond Soubie, his social affairs consigliere and the go-to labor dispute troubleshooter of French presidents’ since the 1970s. On Castex, Soubie had this to say “When I wanted to leave the Elysée to spend more time at my businesses, Nicholas Sarkozy said ‘okay, but on one condition. You have to find me a replacement that I agree to work with.’ That’s how Castex got his big break in national politics. His nomination [for prime minister] didn’t really surprise me, because he has all the attributes to be a top politician. He is intelligent and a remarkable organizer, which at Matignon - the engine of the French state – is very important. He has managed to maintain good relations with all those he has worked with over the years and has his finger on the pulse when it comes to social issues.”

Swiss Army Knife

An ambitious, right-of-center politician, Castex is steeped in French political life. He is the grandson of a right-wing senator and a communist party deputy. An interministerial delegate in charge of overseeing the Paris 2024 Olympics, he has a knack for distilling down issues to their essential elements. A self-proclaimed ‘social gaullist’, he has earned the grudging respect of the powerful French unions for his leadership skills and willingness to negotiate on social issues.

Indeed, at the employment and health ministries, where he worked under Xavier Bertrand, Castex was appreciated for his capacity to bring negotiations to a successful resolution. “He’s a Swiss Army Knife, a hard worker with unrivalled organizational ability that’s full of common sense. He is not one of those people who will present you with a wonderful sounding plan that will never work in practice.” His time working under Bertrand should stand Castex in good stead, since employment and healthcare issues look set to make up the bulk of his in tray when the French government returns from its summer recess at the end of August.

But there is another factor that swayed Macron – Castex’ exceptional popularity in his Catalan fiefdom of Prades, where he was reelected mayor this spring with 75% of the vote. Here is a man with the grassroots touch, who knows what makes local government tick and understands the concerns of people in the provinces.

With less than two years left of his presidency, Macron clearly believes Castex is the best man to help him both push through reforms that have been stalled by a succession of obstacles – from the Gillet Jaunes protest and transport strikes of recent winters and, of course, the Covid-19 emergency – and win him a second term as president, by assuaging conservative voters.

Announcing Castex’ arrival, the Elysée Palace stated, “He is a top civil servant and a skilled reformer and knows how to conduct constructive dialogue with various stakeholders. He is the man for this moment, because he knows how to foster a spirit of co-operation and implement the reconstruction plans drawn up by the state during President Macron’s five-year term.”

Behind the eulogies, there are some who doubt his capacity to respond to the rise of the ecologists, who took control of several of France’s largest cities in the recent local elections including Lyon and Bordeaux. It’s true that Castex has rarely ventured an opinion on environmental issues and, with this topic now firmly front and center in French politics, he will need to develop green fingers if he is to truly sync with Emmanuel Macron’s vision for France.