It’s the big surprise of the new government. At age 62, former prime minister Manuel Valls returns as minister in charge of the hot-button issue of France’s overseas territories. In the order of protocol, the former Socialist is number three in the government, just after the prime minister and Education Minister Elisabeth Borne, but ahead of the interior and justice ministers. This sends a strong signal to the overseas territories, which have been hard hit by crises: from New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific, bruised by riots in the spring, to the Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte, devastated by Cyclone Chido. “Manuel Valls is a bit of a kamikaze personality, I like bold personalities,” justified Prime Minister François Bayrou on BFM-TV on Monday, December 23, expressing his “esteem” for the statesman he has entrusted with “one of the most weighty issues.”
His experience working alongside his mentor, former prime minister Michel Rocard, under whose aegis the 1988 Matignon Agreements were signed, will be invaluable in managing the thorny issue of New Caledonia. Valls also followed the issue under Lionel Jospin, architect of the Nouméa Accords, and then when he was prime minister himself, between 2014 and 2016, under Socialist François Hollande. His knowledge of crises – notably the terrorist attacks of 2015 – will also be useful in finding solutions in Mayotte, where the human and health situation is critical, and everything needs to be rebuilt.
You have 78.19% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.
France
