Barely named and already summoned… to be silent. Less than three days after the composition of the new government, the ministers enter, from this Monday, May 23, the so-called “reserve” period before the legislative elections. A lapse of time which runs until the ballot which is held on June 12 and 19. Just before this period opens, the new Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne was to take the opportunity to speak again this weekend in the columns of the Journal du Dimanche. Afterwards, it will be too late to do so, for her as for the other members of the government.
A circular of February 10, 2022 recalls the contours of this reserve period which corresponds, she underlines, “to a use”. “A member of the government must not intervene in the electoral campaign or support a candidate when he speaks officially, that is to say in his capacity as a governmental authority”, is it stipulated. This must lead him “to have to separate as best as possible the action of the member of the government from the positions he may have as a political leader. »
Avoid “advertisements likely to produce a media effect”
“Members of the government must refrain from traveling in the exercise of their functions”, it is also specified. But derogations exist “in exceptional circumstances”, such as “dramatic events” or “disasters”.
Another possible exception, “if the trip is linked to an event of which the minister does not control the date and if his participation is directly linked to the exercise of his governmental functions”. “This is particularly the case for public commemorations, but also for trade fairs or professional meetings. The recurring nature of these and the usual participation of the minister are then decisive, ”specifies the circular.
But in any case, “the minister must take care that his remarks avoid themes related to the electoral campaign, and must refrain from taking stock of his action at the ministry or that of the government and from making announcements likely to produce a media effect”.
In short, we should not really expect an avalanche of political announcements before the legislative elections. What for the executive to avoid as much as possible an edge fault which could cost him dearly at the polls.
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