“No one steps on my toes like that!” » Elisabeth Borne, the resilient Matignon

Bivouac at Matignon. The windows on the first floor must be changed, Elisabeth Borne has moved to the ground floor. Austere, his office has been reconstructed identically in the blue room, which opens onto the park. Unlike Edouard Philippe, who readily commented on his favorite objects – an artillery saber or a naval anchor – the second woman of the V^e Republic to enter Matignon does not display anything personal. A single photo of her, in the company of a customary chief from the Amazon. A banal poster of the Route du rhum. A model of a metro train, a souvenir of his time at the head of the RATP. A few green plants. Behind his desk, the drawing of an adviser’s son. ” A dragon ! »she says, surprised that we did not recognize the creature crunched by the child.

When she receives The world, 1^er August, the one who insists on being called “Madam Prime Minister” – in the time of Edith Cresson, the name was not feminized – is preparing to go on vacation, in the Var, after having signed the budget framework letters which were to leave in the ministries, Monday August 8. She is dressed in a strict black dress, short hair the same color as her eyes, silver. She is exhausted. The parliamentary session was tough and eventful. But ended with the vote on the amending finance bill and the text on purchasing power. A snatch victory for the government, which lost its majority in June and must now deal with agitated opposition. “We could fear not being able to find majorities, she says. I mobilized a lot to see how we could find a way. The French wanted us to show that we could work together, build compromises. »

Since her appointment on May 16, Elisabeth Borne has received the group presidents on the chain, pulling on her vaper and asking the same question, cash: ” What are you planning to do ? » Olivier Marleix, who chairs the group Les Républicains (LR) in the National Assembly, tastes these respects “new” while appreciating that the polytechnic does not “not pretending”. “She is an engineer who, faced with a problem, tries to find solutions. An asset in these circumstances. Nothing is worse than sensing the fake friendliness of those trying to manipulate you. » Same benevolence from his Senate counterpart, Bruno Retailleau, who found “its profile out of phase with the comeback of politics”but praise her “franchise” and his “knowledge of records”. The exchange was more piquant with the president of the Socialist Party (PS) group, Boris Vallaud, who led a left cabinet at the same time as her, during the five-year term of François Hollande. Borne asks him if the Socialists are ready for a coalition with the government. Vallaud answers no. She insists : “Will you vote for the texts?

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