This minister learned of his appointment… while watching television

LR senator from the Alpes Maritimes who defended a text to regulate the right to strike in the railways before the Olympic Games and supporter of a hard line on security, Philippe Tabarot was appointed Minister of Transport on Monday evening. But this 54-year-old from Cannes didn't necessarily expect it… He discovered his new position while watching television Monday evening.

“I had no confirmation”

On LCI, Philippe Tabarot says: “I knew that my name had been circulating. But I had no confirmation. I was waiting for confirmation but I didn't get it. I watched, like millions of French people, Alexis Kohler, on TV, announcing the government list on the steps of the Élysée.”

The new minister then jumped on a plane to Paris for the transfer of power. “We had to quickly organize ourselves to be present this morning. But when it's good news like that, we find all the means to arrive on time for the meeting and to be able to experience this strong moment on a personal level. But above all it is an important moment for our country which really needed a government.”

A new “demanding” minister

Gart (Group of authorities responsible for transport), an association of communities serving mobility, welcomed a “demanding” new minister and “a personality who perfectly masters mobility issues”.

Gart sees in this appointment “an opportunity to advance as quickly as possible the proposed law relating to the strengthening of security in transport” of which “many provisions are expected to further secure the lives of users and the daily lives of driving agents and control”.

The Union of Transport and Logistics Companies of France (TLF) said it wanted to “build an ambitious future vision for our sector” by sending its congratulations to the new minister.

“France needs a strong transport and logistics sector to meet the challenges of full employment, reindustrialization and ecological transition. The time is no longer for half measures,” according to the TLF Union.

The president of the Paca region, Renaud Muselier, welcomed Monday evening in a press release the appointment of “a minister for the South”, welcoming a “senator recognized in his field of expertise: transport”.

“With Philippe Tabarot, France will have a Minister of Transport who is both pragmatic, efficient and deeply anchored in the reality of the territories,” reacted the mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi on X.