Matignon honors female ministers, with Edith Cresson as a surprise guest

Elisabeth Borne wished Tuesday evening to honor the women of her government. And symbolically, former Prime Minister Edith Cresson, the first woman to hold this position, was the surprise guest at a reception for women ministers organized in Matignon by the current tenant of the premises.

Aged 88, the former head of government had a “moving” exchange before this meeting with the Prime Minister, the second woman to join Matignon, according to those around her. Elisabeth Borne also said on Twitter “honored” to receive it. “You are a source of inspiration for a whole generation of female politicians whose journey, still too rare, remains an example. Your presence tonight alongside the women of my government means a lot,” she wrote.

A much less feminine government 30 years ago

During this first meeting, the two women exchanged anecdotes and evoked the way in which they composed their government, less feminine in the time of Edith Cresson, whose government had only 6 women (out of 45 members) while that of ‘Elisabeth Borne has as many women as men (21), even if few of them hold sovereign positions.

Stayed 10 months and 18 days at Matignon (1991-1992) and left under criticism, Edith Cresson returned “to the political class which was not kind to women” and to “its legitimacy which was disputed when she had been mayor, local elected official, regional councilor and four times Minister of Agriculture, Foreign Trade, Industrial Redeployment, and European Affairs.

The two Prime Ministers “realized that things had not evolved enough” while a female Prime Minister “should no longer be a question or a source of astonishment”. They also underlined their same “relationship of trust with their respective presidents”, François Mitterrand and Emmanuel Macron, who according to them made “a determined choice” in appointing them.

Only five women are full ministers

Edith Cresson then met the current women ministers or secretaries of state, who welcomed the fact that she had “opened the way for women”. Elisabeth Borne, cantor of gender equality, had dedicated her appointment in May “to all the little girls”, whom she had invited to “go after (their) dreams”. In her general policy speech, she had also quoted Edith Cresson, who in return had hailed a “remarkable” speech.

Currently, five women out of 21 are full-time ministers: Catherine Colonna (Foreign Affairs), Sylvie Retailleau (Higher Education and Research) Agnès Pannier-Runacher (Energy Transition), Rima Abdul-Malak (Culture) and Amélie Oudéa-Castéra (Sports ).