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
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
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.
1 2 3 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]
1 2 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
References
1 2 3 Silvera, Victor (September–October 1972). "La structure du huitième gouvernement de la Vème République". La Revue administrative (147). Paris: 484–492. ISSN0035-0672. JSTOR40765408. pp. 486–487.
1 2 Silvera, Victor (July–August 1969). "La structure du septième gouvernement de la Cinquième République". La Revue administrative (133). Paris: 444–452. ISSN0035-0672. JSTOR40764645. p. 447.
↑ 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. ISSN0989-7925. p. 153.
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. ISBN978-2-7574-3714-8.
Saurat-Dubois, Anne (2021). Profession, paratonnerre (in French). Paris: L’Observatoire. ISBN979-10-329-1753-4. – Based on interviews with former spokespersons.
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