Reshuffle: without experience in the field, Christophe Béchu is appointed Minister of Ecological Transition – Liberation

The government of Elisabeth BornedossierLe number 2 of Horizons, the center-right party founded by Edouard Philippe, takes the reins of the Ecological Transition. Just like Amélie de Montchalin, whom he replaces, the man has never worked on the green file. Something promised, something due. The Elysée had set a rule: a minister who loses in the legislative elections will have to give up his place in the government. Amélie de Montchalin, who bowed to the socialist Jérôme Guedj in the 6th district of Essonne, leaves the Ministry of Ecological Transition. A position that she will not even have occupied for two months. In his place, Christophe Béchu is chosen. The 48-year-old man, secretary general of Horizons, the center-right party founded by Edouard Philippe, is also mayor of Angers (Maine-et-Loire) and until then held the post of Minister Delegate in charge of Territorial Communities .Like her predecessor, Béchu has never worked directly or indirectly on environmental issues. His appointment to the Ministry of Ecological Transition is surprising, even though Emmanuel Macron indicated in the inter-rounds of the presidential election that he wanted to make “ecological planning” a priority for his second term. It didn’t take long, this Monday morning, to see the first criticisms coming from the ecologists. The deputy for Paris Sandrine Rousseau (EE-LV, Nupes) recalled on Twitter that she “never met Christophe Béchu on the slightest environmental struggle”. One thing is already certain: never met @ChristopheBechu on the slightest environmental struggle .— Sandrine Rousseau (@sandrousseau) July 4, 2022 He built his career on the right and in the center right, elected at the age of 21 as municipal councilor of Avrillé (Maine-et-Loire), then mayor of Angers. In 2013, then a senator from Maine-et-Loire, he opposed the opening of marriage to everyone, even going so far as to co-sign, with Bruno Retailleau, a forum in Current Values. The text carried by Christiane Taubira was, according to him, a “threat to the balance of our society”. Three years later, in 2016, Christophe Béchu demanded that HIV prevention posters be removed in his city, Angers. Now at the Ecological Transition, he will have Caroline Cayeux (Territorial Cohesion) and Olivier Klein (Housing) under his supervision.