François Bayrou gets his feet caught in the carpet of “national territory” relaunches the controversy

POLITICS – When it doesn’t… For his first major oral speech at the National Assembly in his new costume as Prime Minister this Tuesday, December 17, François Bayrou faced several parliamentarians upset by the choice he made the day before. He had in fact chaired the Municipal Council of his city from Pau and held the crisis meeting in Mayotte via video, after the devastating passage of Cyclone Chido, the results of which, still unknown at this stage, appear to be appalling.

Member of the environmental group, Steevy Gustave therefore expressed his dismay. “ While Mayotte mourns its dead and searches for its missing, while so many citizens are mobilizing, it is incomprehensible to us that you have favored a Municipal Council, Mr. Prime Minister, rather than going there », Launched the elected official from Essonne, before asking: “ What should the Mahorean people think of a government that looks the other way while they suffer? ».

In his response, François Bayrou denied any disinterest on the part of the government, recalling that the Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, and the Minister of Overseas Territories, François-Noël Buffet, went there to monitor the situation and organize the FIRST AID. Then, the mayor of Pau launched into a shaky explanation, which provoked an avalanche of indignant reactions. “ The President of the Republic announced that he was going to Mayotte. It is not customary for the Prime Minister and the President of the Republic to leave the national territory at the same time.“, he argued.

“Absolute shame”

However, Mayotte has been a French territory for decades and even the 101st department since 2011. And is part, in the same way as Nièvre, Gard or Pas-de-Calais, of the “ national territory “. A mistake that the minister’s detractors perceive at best as incompetence, at worst as a demonstration of his disdain for the situation. “ A colonial response. What contempt. Mayotte is France! », denounced on X the LFI deputy Thomas Portes, describing the remarks of François Bayrou as “ absolute shame ».

Same indignation expressed by the communist senator from Paris, Ian Brossat. “ Mayotte would not be on national territory according to Bayrou. We understand better why he preferred to attend the Pau municipal council. Shipwreck “, lamented the Parisian elected official, while his socialist colleague, David Ros, sees in this declaration “uNo more affront for our Mahorese compatriots ». « Words fail met,” comments green senator Marine Vogel.

The left is not alone in condemning. “ Can someone explain to the Prime Minister that Mayotte is a department, and therefore part of the national territory? ? », asks RN deputy Antoine Villedieu, just like his colleagues Jorys Bovet and Caroline Parmentier. François Bayrou’s first steps at Matignon are decidedly laborious.

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