It is an extremely rare phenomenon in the prefectural body. Since she learned of her departure from the department of Indre-et-Loire on December 7, after a decision taken by the Council of Ministers, the prefect Marie Lajus has cried out against injustice, by mobilizing elected officials, friends, relays of opinion and journalists. The senior civil servant even had a petition signed to be indignant at her own departure.
According to her defenders, she would have been ousted at the request of elected representatives of the majority, furious at the opposition of the prefect to the project to set up a start-up incubator, in an unbuildable and protected area, in the park. of the Château Louise-de-la-Vallière, in Reugny, near Tours.
“Political sectarianism”
But at the Ministry of the Interior, the version is quite different. According to several sources, the reasons for the departure of Marie Lajus are actually linked to her “competence”: “She failed in her department”, explains this great prefect contacted by Europe 1.
Several senior officials also point to his “political sectarianism”. “She is very fond of the ecologists, particularly Emmanuel Denis, the mayor of Tours, and the left,” laments one of his counterparts. “And she never deals with the majority or the Republicans.” Several elected officials whom Europe 1 has contacted even speak of a breach of equal treatment: “She shows her preferences”, explains a deputy.
Lack of conviction after attack on firefighters
Another prefect relates that Marie Lajus refused to treat members of the Jewish community properly, especially on the occasion of major religious holidays when no representative of the State made the trip.
Finally, several professional criticisms are made of her, such as when she refused to invite parliamentarians to pay tribute to Stéphanie Monfermé, a police officer murdered in 2021. Or when she remained silent after the attack on firefighters during of a high school demonstration on October 21st. A lack of conviction that has bruised many firefighters.