The absence of appointment of a full-time Minister of Housing under the government of Gabriel Attal sparked many bitter reactions on Thursday evening, while this sector is experiencing a serious crisis in France.
Like his predecessors since Emmanuel Macron’s first five-year term, the current Minister of Housing Patrice Vergriete, former DVG mayor of Dunkirk, is a delegated minister, placed under the supervision of the Minister of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion Christophe Bchu.
His reappointment was not announced Thursday evening by the general secretary of the presidency, Alexis Kohler.
Questioned by AFP, the Minister of Housing explained that this was a first wave of ministers attached to the Prime Minister and that a second series of delegated ministers would be designated later.
But this absence has not gone unnoticed among housing stakeholders.
I deplore the absence of a full-fledged Minister of Housing, equipped with the necessary means to fight against the protracted crisis which weighs on our fellow citizens and threatens employment, tweeted Emmanuelle Cosse, president of the Social Union for housing (USH), which brings together social housing stakeholders.
This is unacceptable even though the crisis is of unprecedented violence, she also responded to AFP.
Same outrageous reaction from the Ville & Banlieue association. That they are not announcing the appointment of the Minister of Housing when there is a housing crisis is beyond belief, declared its president Gilles Leproust (PCF).
Manuel Domergue, director of studies at the Abb Pierre Foundation, notes for his part that we are in continuity with what has been happening since 2017.
This is what happened in July and also the time before. confirmed that housing is not a major subject for this government, and that it does not deserve a minister, he told AFP.
On the political side, the deputy for Seine-Saint-Denis Stphane Peu (PCF) tweeted: Incredible inconsistency! evoking a total disconnection with reality.
Once again, the Minister of Housing is missing out. This should be the priority of priorities, and this reshuffle forgets it, also tweeted the environmentalist deputy Julien Bayou.