Among the flowers and wreaths around the coffin of Thierry Ardisson, on July 17 in Paris: a wreath offered by the President of the Republic and his wife, present at the celebration, another on behalf of Rachida Dati, Minister of Culture and Media, a third coming from the Mayor of Paris, where he resided.
A blue-white-red ribbon stands out among all these white flowers. An inscription: Aurore Bergé, minister. The wreath was paid 120 euros by Matignon, on whom his ministry depends, according to documents. That the minister responsible for gender equality honors Thierry Ardisson may surprise, in view of certain interviews deemed sexist that the host was able to conduct in the past.
“It’s not very happy”, admits a ministerial advisor in the Bayrou government, who speculates as an explanation for Aurore Bergé’s commitments on audiovisual issues when she was MP.
Recently, in addition to the one paying tribute to Thierry Ardisson, the Minister of Equality between women and men also ordered flowers for the funeral of MP Olivier Marleix (LR), who died on July 7, or for those of the president of the departmental council of Yonne, Patrick Gendraud. In this ranking of ministers, followed by Bruno Retailleau (Interior), Agnès Pannier-Runacher (Ecological transition) and François Bayrou. The requests for documents concerning Gérald Darmanin (Justice), Sébastien Lecornu (Armies) and Rachida Dati have not yet received a response.
These bundles generally cost between 100 and 150 euros. Those purchased on behalf of the Prime Minister cost double.
A good part of the wreaths deposited are related to official ceremonies to which they attend — commemoration of events or tribute to employees of the ministry who died in office, for example.
Chiefs of staff handle this task for their minister. Sometimes, the sheaves are handled by the prefecture, recalls the former chief of staff already mentioned, and other times, when it concerns their private life, they do so with their own money.
“It’s not clear in the written word,” he adds, explaining that these scenarios involve “finding the right crest line,” knowing that private, partisan or official lives are sometimes intertwined.
Opportunely located deposits
Other wreaths are also delivered during official ceremonies in the lands of election of certain ministers. Thus, Aurore Bergé, Macronist deputy of Yvelines since 2017, has made three communes in her constituency bloom to celebrate the victory of May 8, but also in Saint-Arnoult for the commemoration of the Appeal of June 18, and again in Rambouillet for July 14 or the liberation of the city, on August 23. National and partisan funerals
Outside of official ceremonies, ministers have routinely worn floral arrangements for a ministry-related funeral—an officer, the relative of a security officer, or staff in a cabinet…
Prime Minister François Bayrou, for his part, mainly honored former fellow travelers or political figures such as the former UDF member, Anne-Marie Comparini, the journalist, political supporter and MoDem candidate in 2009, Jean-François Kahn, or even Nicolas Florian, former LR mayor of Bordeaux.
These crowns were very often accompanied by a trip and a speech from the Prime Minister.