Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, a prominent French-Moroccan politician, has been appointed as a senior advisor at France's supreme audit institution following a proposal by the French Prime Minister during the Council of Ministers meeting on July 16. This appointment has sparked controversy, particularly as the former minister had recently suggested she was preparing for an exam to qualify for this role. As the government grapples with avoiding a no-confidence motion over its budget plan, this nomination is seen by some as a strategic move to appease the Socialist Party. Le Canard enchaîné reported on July 8 about a potential «deal» between the government and the socialists to secure their neutrality. «To avert censure, Bayrou is willing to do anything, even negotiate the appointment of socialist Najat Vallaud-Belkacem to the Court of Auditors in exchange for the Socialist Party's neutrality in the upcoming budget vote», the satirical newspaper claimed. Criticism from the opposition has been swift. «Congratulations to Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, who joins the Court of Auditors directly at the highest rank by passing a non-existent exam», quipped Thomas Ménagé, RN deputy, on X. «For those questioning what the 'system' is, here's another example», he added. Meanwhile, his colleague Matthias Renault labeled the move a «disgrace» and questioned: «Is this a peace offering to the Socialist Party to calm them before a no-confidence vote?» Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, however, refutes claims of preferential treatment. «It's not hard to find out that the route I chose for the Court was through the exam», she wrote on X, adding in frustration: «Slander, slander, something will always stick». Pierre Moscovici, the first president of the Court of Auditors, defended her by emphasizing that «the procedure was conducted by an independent commission», preempting criticism: «I am not her friend, I was her colleague», he clarified. Meanwhile, François Bayrou is pushing through an unprecedented savings plan, which includes highly unpopular measures such as eliminating public holidays, freezing social benefits, and securing savings of 43.8 billion euros. To avoid collapse, the executive has no choice but to collaborate with the socialists.
