Only Martin Hirsch leaves office but at his request

The Elysee had indicated that Nicolas Sarkozy would draw lessons from the regional elections without change political course: he did so without delay, in his own way. The President of the Republic decided to a small cabinet reshuffle last night (announced by press release), entire designed to succeed the pension reform, devoted priority site for 2010. To do this, the Ministry of Social Affairs is reinforced. Weakened by his low score Sunday in Aquitaine (see below), the Minister in charge of the case so far, Xavier Darcos, is sacrificed: he was replaced by Eric Woerth, who has made a political quasi-sans-faute to the Ministry of the Budget. Its good rating with Raymond Soubie, the highly influential social Advisor to Nicolas Sarkozy, no doubt also played. Xavier Darcos lived quite difficult the pervasiveness and ontological caution of the Advisor.

The choice of Eric Woerth to carry out this reform to high risk means also no doubt that the head of State has chosen to address this site without front officials: refusing to challenge the calculation of the retirement of civil servants (on the salary of the last six months) in the interview with the Figaro Magazine"ten days ago he had, it seems, been blown by Eric Woerth.

Back on the "Fundamentals".

The new well all of the reform, the Secretariat of State for public service returns into its fold, then that it was since 2007 connected to Bercy. The villepiniste George Tron made his entry into the Government to occupy it. At Bercy, is the François Baroin Chirac supporter who replaces Eric Woerth in the Budget, a position he also very exposed because it should lead the fight against deficits. With these two entries to the Government, and that of the centrist Marc-Philippe Daubresse youth, Nicolas Sarkozy intends to issue his second message to the address of the elected representatives of the majority. All sensitivities have their place, mean, even the most critical. Georges Tron is one of the faithful to Dominique de Villepin, who is poised to launch Thursday his own movement policy. François Baroin, near Jean-François Copé, is was shown these days by attacking the head of State on one of the most sensitive issues: the pace of reforms. The break in 2011, "it's too late": "the day after regional, it will be around the table, including to the National Assembly, to the group, to say"this is what is important is that it is less"", it started referring to the carbon tax and the reform of the local communities should be "a minimum". This position of a majority which returned to its "fundamental", employment and growth, also developed by Jean-François Copé, appears to be gaining ground in the Elysee Palace, although formally nothing is said. The creation of the carbon tax even appears compromised (see page 4).

"Cosmetic", find the PS

Is this redesign to restore trust between the President and his majority This is the big question of the days to come, in particular the meeting of the UMP in the Assembly which takes place this morning. Yesterday, already Jean-Pierre Raffarin estimated that the Executive could not escape without a "vote of confidence" to Parliament on its reforms, that denies the UMP. On two points in any case, the message that expect many parliamentarians is only very partially issued by the Executive. On the first opening. No Minister left made his entry into the Government, but the most emblematic remain in place. Only Martin Hirsch leaves office, but at his request. And then the governance. As with the previous redesigns, most took place yesterday in the Office of the President of the Republic, even if François Fillon led to Matignon many institutional and political interviews. But the Prime Minister would, apparently, wanted a broader overhaul, orchestrating the departure of the opening sizes. In vain. Nicolas Sarkozy will speak tomorrow, at the end of the Council of Ministers. But the Socialist Party has already qualified last night of "cosmetic" this realignment, adding that the response of the head of State in the regional election was totally "off topic".