The Castex government (French: gouvernement Castex) was the forty-second government of the French Fifth Republic, formed on 3 July 2020 and headed by Jean Castex as Prime Minister under the presidency of Emmanuel Macron. It was dissolved on 16 May 2022, after Élisabeth Borne was selected as prime minister following the re-election of Macron.
Context Formation
After three years with the same government, the 2020 municipal elections raised the question of a new administration and led to speculations about a governmental reshuffle. The performance of President Macron's party, La République En Marche! (LREM), at these elections strengthened the rumors. On 3 July 2020, Édouard Philippe tendered the resignation of his government to the President of the Republic. The same day, the Élysée Palace informed the press that Jean Castex, incumbent Mayor of Prades, would replace him and form a new government, the third since the election of Macron.
At the time of his appointment, Castex was very little known, only for his management of France's exit of lockdown following the COVID-19 pandemic. The composition of the government was announced on 6 July 2020 by Alexis Kohler, Secretary-General of the Élysée Palace, with a sizeable number of ministers from the previous one retained. Among the main changes, Gérald Darmanin, previously Minister for Public Accounts, replaced at the Interior Christophe Castaner who was heavily criticised by National Police's unions following accusations of violence and racism in their ranks. However, the nomination of Darmanin was met with protests by feminist movements over accusations of rape in 2009, as well as the one of Minister of Justice Éric Dupond-Moretti for his defense as lawyer of men accused of rapes.
The new cabinet also saw the return of Roselyne Bachelot, who previously served as minister under Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy, as well as Barbara Pompili, former Secretary of State for Biodiversity under François Hollande, while main portfolios holders, such as Jean-Yves Le Drian, Jean-Michel Blanquer, Bruno Le Maire or Florence Parly remained in office.
The Prime Minister delivered his policy speech before the National Assembly and asked for its confidence on 15 July 2020; he obtained it by 345 votes out of 577.
On 26 July, the remaining state secretaries were appointed. Bruno Le Maire declared to be working at relaunching the French economy while Castex said to be ready to reopen dialogue over a controversial pension reform. A plan for a new lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic was also said to be ready.
Composition Ministers Portfolio Name PartyPrime MinisterJean Castex SE Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian TDP Minister of National Education, Youth and Sports Jean-Michel Blanquer LREM Minister of the Economy, Finance and Recovery Bruno Le Maire LREM Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly TDP Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin LREM Minister of Labour, Employment and Integration Élisabeth Borne LREM Minister of the Ecological Transition Barbara Pompili LREM Minister of Territorial Cohesion and Relations with Local Authorities Jacqueline Gourault MoDem Keeper of the Seals, Minister of Justice Éric Dupond-Moretti SE Minister of Culture Roselyne Bachelot SE Minister of the Overseas Sébastien Lecornu LREM Minister of Solidarity and Health Olivier Véran LREM Minister of the Sea Annick Girardin MR Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation Frédérique Vidal LREM Minister of Agriculture and Food Julien Denormandie LREM Minister of Public Transformation and Service Amélie de Montchalin LREM
Deputy Ministers Portfolio Attached minister Name Party Minister for Relations with Parliament and Citizen Participation Prime Minister Marc Fesneau MoDem Minister for Gender Equality, Diversity and Equal Opportunities Élisabeth Moreno LREM Minister for Foreign Trade and Attractiveness Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Franck Riester Agir Minister for Housing Minister of the Ecological Transition Emmanuelle Wargon LREM Minister for Transport Jean-Baptiste Djebbari LREM Minister for Public Accounts Minister of the Economy, Finance and Recovery Olivier Dussopt TDP Minister for Industry Agnès Pannier-Runacher LREM Minister for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Alain Griset LREM Minister for Sports Minister of National Education, Youth and Sports Roxana Maracineanu SE Minister for Memory and Veterans Affairs Minister of the Armed Forces Geneviève Darrieussecq MoDem Minister for Citizenship Minister of the Interior Marlène Schiappa LREM Minister for Integration Minister of Labour, Employment and Integration Brigitte Klinkert LREM Minister for the City Minister of Territorial Cohesion and Relations with Local Authorities Nadia Hai LREM Minister for Autonomy Minister of Solidarity and Health Brigitte Bourguignon LREM
State Secretaries Portfolio Attached minister Name Party Government Spokesman Prime Minister Gabriel Attal LREM State Secretary for Disabled Persons Sophie Cluzel LREM State Secretary for Tourism, the French Abroad and the Francophonie Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne LREM State Secretary for European Affairs Clément Beaune LREM State Secretary for Biodiversity Minister of the Ecological Transition Bérangère Abba LREM State Secretary for Priority Education Minister of National Education, Youth and Sports Nathalie Élimas MoDem State Secretary for Youth and Commitment Sarah El Haïry MoDem State Secretary for Digital Transition and Electronic Communications Minister of the Economy, Finance and RecoveryMinister of Territorial Cohesion and Relations with Local Authorities Cédric O LREM State Secretary for the Social, Inclusive and Responsible Economy Minister of the Economy, Finance and Recovery Olivia Grégoire LREM State Secretary for Pensions and Occupational Health Minister of Labour, Employment and Integration Laurent Pietraszewski LREM State Secretary for Rurality Minister of Territorial Cohesion and Relations with Local Authorities Joël Giraud LREM State Secretary for Children and Families Minister of Solidarity and Health Adrien Taquet LREM
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