On the front line in the negotiations on the future of the Neo-Caledonian archipelago, Manuel Valls has since succeeded in sparing the frontal criticisms of the left, which once vilified him.
The scene takes place in front of the Plum gendarmerie, a few kilometers from Noumea, during a visit to Manuel Valls in new Caledonia. The former Prime minister, who became Minister of Overseas at the end of December after a long crossing of the desert, is briefly arrested by independence opponents.
After a brief clash with one of the demonstrators, who mocks him by saying his first name with a Spanish accent, the former Prime Minister brandishes his finger, threatening, to the parliamentarian who came to support the demonstrators in their fight, Nicolas Metzdorf. “Do not forget, you are a deputy for the Republic”lance Manuel Valls.
In his eyes, the elected representative of the presidential camp is guilty of having blown up on the embellishments of the division by declaring three days earlier before the loyalists opposed to the independence that he was going to encourage the Minister to return. His wrong, according to them? Having said that the Noumea agreements, which date from 1998 and which must put the archipelago on the path of independence, “Break up”. Faced with Nicolas Metzdorf and Sonia Backès, another non-independence, Manuel Valls tries to justify his position for five minutes, sometimes vehement, sometimes pedagogue. “You realize, you have a great debate! Go, see you later”concludes the minister in a burst of laughter in front of the camera of New Caledonia the 1st which captures the scene.
Two and a half months after this stormy exchange, Manuel Valls resumed dialogue with the loyalists during the highly anticipated negotiations between the independence and non-independence delegations, who continue on Wednesday May 7. The minister’s mission is infinitely complex: trying to lead to an agreement between the different parties on the future of the archipelago, marked by the clashes of spring 2024, which left 14 dead and more than two billion euros in damage. A file that the ex-socialist converted to macronism approaches with caution-his new method.
CThey who have worked with him in the past praise his first results on the Neo-Caledonian issue. “He put discussions on rails very well because they have been completely blocked for a year. He has a fairly old knowledge of the file, which goes back to the time he was in the office of Michel Rocard and Lionel Jospin. He was inspired by the listening method at work during previous agreements “rent Jean-François Merle to Franceinfo. This former adviser to Michel Rocard in charge of overseas, who followed the negotiation of the Matignon agreements in the late 1980s, regularly exchanged with Manuel Valls on the Neo-Caledonian file.
More surprisingly, several elected officials on the left salute his action for the pebble (the nickname of the archipelago). “In New Caledonia, he is the minister that he needs, insofar as he knows the file. He has integrated the heart of the Matignon agreements [de 1988]namely the decolonial question “insoywors.buildhirthouses, many frena fut The des Voondeurs “Du Cupernial Hillermater detail over Leache social Vanns. “On this file, he is in the right place and has a flawless one so far.”
“It will surprise you coming from me, but you have to help him succeed.”
Poouria Amosshoi, EXI OXI OPLosant Socialiste have MicSin franceinfo
Very critical of Manuel Valls to have “Ceded” On the partial questioning of soil law in Mayotte, the elected ecologist of Paris is not the only one to positively judge the Minister’s action in New Caledonia. Béatrice Bellay, socialist deputy of Martinique, considered the surprise appointment of the former head of government, in December, as a “New insult” made to the overseas. But since then, she judges, “He chose the most ambitious path, the one who reminds him that he was a socialist day”estimates the elected PS. It salutes in particular the use by the Minister of the expression of “First people” To qualify the Kanaks. A choice widely contested by independence opponents, such as Nicolas Metzdorf, taxed “revisionism” PAR MANUEL VALLS.
If all the elected officials on the left contacted by Franceinfo remain cautious, the first assessment seems positive in their eyes, including in other territories. “I had never seen a minister going to a supermarket in Martinique”recalls the related deputy PS Jiovanny William. “There is a more visible proximity, the exchanges are concrete on the files that we follow. (…) The dialogue is fluid, it changes from past ministers.”
-Compared to his recent predecessors, Manuel Valls leaves with an advantage: he is Minister of State and number three of the government, at the head of a full -service ministry. Weight assets, combined with a long CV, which would allow it to better weigh on arbitrations. “It is the return of personalities with a strong political weight and a real experience”says Philippe Moreau Chevrolet, specialist in political communication. “Those who did not appreciate it underestimated his way of approaching things, his ability to work and appropriate files“, add a ministerial advisor. It is much better than what they expected.”
“He said to himself: ‘I will play it more discreet, hardwriter, with a rounded communication, very discreet, solid and coherent’.”
A ministerial advisorin franceinfo
Its current strategy, often far from the plateaus of France, decides with its socialist years, when the ex-mayor of Evry saturated the media space of proposals which detonated, even shocked his own camp. “Manuel Valls is one of the policies that benefit from being silent. For him, it’s better not to be exposed”analyzes Philippe Moreau Chevrolet, while 61% of those questioned by the IFOP Institute, in March, retain a bad opinion of him. About a quarter of respondents (24%) even have a very bad opinion of the one who lost the municipal elections of Barcelona in 2019 and the French legislative elections in 2022.
Since he has been at the Ministry of Overseas, Manuel Valls has also not forgotten his favorite subjects, which are notably the defense of a very demanding conception of secularism and words often aimed at Islam. At the end of March, he said in particular on CNews and Europe 1 that anti -Semitism came “Essentially from the Arab-Muslim world”. “A political fault “cingle Pouria Amirshahi. “He tries to make efforts, even if it does not change his political software, close to the republican spring”Abundes Sandra Regol, environmental member of the Bas-Rhin.
Manuel Valls’ positions divide into the majority. “It’s the left we love: serious, sovereign, government and uncompromising on values”Crides Mathieu Lefèvre, from the right wing of the Renaissance party. Others, labeled within the left wing of the presidential camp, are more critical.
“The only thing I can ask him is not to venture on other subjects.”
A member of the group together for the Republic (ex-Renaissance)in franceinfo
Manuel Valls obviously does not understand this ear and continues to defend his way, by calling for a “Collective burst (…) facing extremes” for the 2027 deadline, As he launched, at the end of April, on RTL, M6, Public Senate and Le Figaro. For the time being, the former Elysée candidate has not planned to play the very leading roles for the presidential election.
“Does he be reborn from his ashes? There is no projection, no desire for Manuel Valls in the country … and he has zero troops”sweeps the advisor mentioned above. “He has explosive files, but can return to sovereign posts, such as defense and foreign affairs”nuance Philippe Moreau-Chevrolet, who does not exclude a return to the fore. “It’s the Count of Monte-Cristo, Manuel Valls, with this return to business!” Before claiming other ministerial functions, the former head of government has no choice but to find an outcome favorable to the thorny Neo-Caledonian file, on which so many political leaders have broken their teeth.
