This Wednesday January 12, just before the Council of Ministers, a clash would have arisen between Jean-Michel Blanquer and Olivier Véran. Not feeling sufficiently supported by the government, the Minister of Education would have found it difficult to remain calm.
The times are shaping up to be difficult for Jean-Michel Blanquer. The incessant changes in health protocol in schools have fueled the anger of teachers and parents of students. So much so that, this Thursday, January 13, a strike in the National Education will take place. A mobilization that promises to be very followed. As his management of the health crisis at school is debated, including within the majority, the Minister of Education is weakened and has difficulty escaping controversy. Yannick Jadot or the Socialist Party even called on him to resign. More than ever, the politician needs tokens of support from the government. However, that would not be the case. According to Jean-Michel Blanquer’s confidences to one of his relatives, he would be overwhelmed by the feeling of “having to carry everything on your shoulders when the health situation is complex“, report The Parisian.
“Jean-Michel, you need to calm down”
Does he feel let down by his colleagues? A clash between the Minister of Education and Olivier Véran on the sidelines of a government meeting could prove it. In its columns, The Parisian recounts the altercation that occurred this Wednesday, January 12 in the morning. It is “obviously very angry, very uplifted” according to a witness, that Jean-Michel Blanquer arrived at the Élysée for the Council of Ministers. He goes towards Olivier Véran. Initially, not wanting to make a scene in front of their colleagues, the two men would have moved away from the rest of the group. But the former director of ESSEC does not take offense. A minister reports that he continued “to speak super loud”. He criticizes the former doctor for not having defended him sufficiently: “We will have to stay well united, it will rock“, he means to him.”Listen, Jean-Michel, you have to calm down, we have to unite. We gotta hold out in the media storm, but we gotta calm down“, would have answered him, “essentially” the Minister of Health, according to a witness.
“It was very hot”
In the front row behind the scenes of this clash, The Parisian was able to glean some confidences. “It was not a clash, but a straightforward explanation, as one can often get. We’ve had some like that before. We didn’t fight, we just explained“, would have entrusted the Minister of Education to a relative, at the end of the Council of Ministers. His analysis is not, however, unanimous:”It was very hot“, breaths one of his colleagues.