Spokesperson of the Government of France

The spokesperson of the Government (Template:Langx, in jargon PPG) is the minister in charge of the public relations of the Government of France.

The position has existed since 1969, with interruptions. It is held either concurrently with a departmental or junior portfolio, or alone with a sinecure rank of junior minister. Its best-known duty is to hold a press conference after the weekly Council of Ministers.

Sophie Primas has held the position in the Bayrou government since December 2024, with a rank of deputy minister under the prime minister.

History

The position was created in 1969 by Jacques Chaban-Delmas, the first prime minister of Georges Pompidou; the first spokesman was Léo Hamon.Template:Refn As part of Chaban-Delmas's liberalization platform, it came in partial replacement to the earlier position of minister of information, who had supervised the broadcasting services under state monopoly, and whose duties were transferred to the Office of the Prime Minister and to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. The Ministry of Information was restored by Pierre Messmer, Chaban-Delmas's successor, but eventually disbanded for good in 1974.

Another new junior minister of 1969, Jacques Baumel, was put in charge of “public relations”, with an unclear distribution of responsibilities with Hamon. The position was discontinued in the next government, and the responsibilities of the spokesman were first defined in a decree of 24 July 1972 (“to report on the work of the Government and to provide information relating to the action of public authorities”). Léo Hamon was nicknamed “” (“Loudspeaker”, a pun on “Léo speaker”).

All governments since 1983 have had a spokesperson, except for the 1st Rocard government (May–June 1988), in office fox six weeks between presidential and legislative elections, and for the Jospin government after a year (1998–2002).Template:Refn While a number of holders until the 1990s were experienced figures, younger politicians have since then been frequently chosen; Nicolas Sarkozy (1993–1995), Jean-François Copé (2002–2007), and Gabriel Attal (2020–2022) used their term to raise their profile by intervening on a number of topics.

The president has at times had a spokesperson of his own, upgrading the position of press adviser; the most recent one was in 2017–2018. Some government departments have also appointed an official spokesperson.

Appointment and position

The position of spokesperson is held either concurrently with a departmental or junior portfolio, or associated with a sinecure position of junior minister (deputy minister or secretary of state) under the prime minister. When junior to a departmental minister, the holder nonetheless reports directly to the prime minister with regard to the duties of spokesperson.

As for all other members of the government, the appointment, and removal, is by the president on the proposal of the prime minister. The choice is based on personal considerations rather than determined by a concurrent portfolio: the position has been held several times by the minister in charge of the Budget or of relations with Parliament due to their transverse role, but also by the minister in charge of agriculture, culture, education, or women's rights. Jean-François Copé kept the position for five years while moving between three departments.

The spokesperson has a specific private office, separate from one attached to an additional portfolio; it is located at the hôtel de Castries, in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. The office is supported by the Government Information Service (SIG), although the SIG remains under the authority of the prime minister.

Responsibilities

The spokesperson has a dual role of “mouth and ear” of the Government, in charge not only of the usual responsibility of making public announcements and answering the news media, but also of staying attentive to public opinion and to report on it to the prime minister and other ministers.

To that end, the holder is required to keep abreast of the ongoing issues dealt with by all government departments, and works with some of the close advisers to the president and prime minister. The spokesperson takes part to a number of meetings at which government policy and strategy are discussed and decided, and advises on how to promote them to the media and the general public. Any intervention is bound by prior statements made by the prime minister and by the responsible ministers.

The spokesperson's best-known duty is to hold a press conference at the Élysée Palace, open to television cameras, after the meeting of the weekly Council of Ministers. Spokespersons also give regular interviews to explain and defend the government's handling of public affairs, either in general or on a specific current topic. Several former holders have commented on the uneasiness of the brief, such as François Baroin, who held it twice: “You can never be in a position to tell the whole truth. But I had made it my rule of never telling any sham. The job is after all about wooden language.” A 2021 book of interviews called it a “lightning rod”.Template:Sfn

In light of the work involved, the spokesperson always attends the Council of Ministers by right, while most junior ministers only do when exceptionally summoned. It is the only minister who may take notes, which is by tradition forbidden to the others, although the president and the two senior civil servants who attend without taking part may do so.

List

Holder and other position			Government	Term of office		Party
colspan="8" Template:CellCategory
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Sin foto.svg	Léo Hamon Secretary of State under the Prime MinisterTemplate:Refn	Chaban-Delmas	22June 1969	15May 1972 (moved)	UDR
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Sin foto.svg	Jean-Philippe Lecat Secretary of State under the Prime MinisterTemplate:Refn	Chaban-Delmas 1st Messmer	15May 1972 (joined)	2April 1973	UDR
colspan="8" Template:Vacant
colspan="8" Template:CellCategory
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Chézy-sur-Marne-FR-02-A-08.jpg	André Rossi Secretary of State under the Prime Minister	1st Chirac	8June 1974	25August 1976	CR
colspan="8" Template:Vacant
colspan="8" Template:CellCategory
colspan="8" Template:Vacant
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Max Gallo.jpg	Max Gallo Secretary of State under the Prime Minister	3rd Mauroy	22March 1983	18June 1984 (resigned)	PS
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Roland Dumas - 1989 (cropped).jpg	Roland Dumas Minister of European Affairs	3rd Mauroy Fabius	18June 1984 (additional portfolio)	7December 1984 (other portfolio kept)	PS
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Georgina Dufoix 1990.jpg	Georgina Dufoix Minister of Social Affairs and National Solidarity	Fabius	7December 1984 (additional portfolio)	20March 1986	PS
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Alain Juppé in Washington DC (cropped) 4.jpg	Alain Juppé Deputy Minister for the Budget under the Minister of the Economy, Finance and Privatization	2nd Chirac	20March 1986	10May 1988	RPR
colspan="8" Template:Vacant
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:ClaudeEvin.jpg	Claude Évin Minister of Solidarity, Health and Social Protection	2nd Rocard	28June 1988	14September 1989 (other portfolio kept)	PS
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Tonnerres de Brest 2012 - Louis Le Pensec.jpg	Louis Le Pensec Minister of Overseas Departments and Territories	2nd Rocard	14September 1989 (additional portfolio)	15May 1991	PS
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Jack Lang.jpg	Jack Lang Minister of Culture and Communication	Cresson	16May 1991	2April 1992	PS
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Martin Malvy 6 - Airbus public demonstration in Toulouse 0367 2007-03-06.jpg	Martin Malvy Secretary of State for Relations with Parliament under the Prime Minister	Bérégovoy	4April 1992	2October 1992 (moved)	PS
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Louis MERMAZ.jpg	Louis Mermaz Minister for Relations with Parliament	Bérégovoy	2October 1992 (moved)	29March 1993	PS
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Nicolas Sarkozy (2008) cropped.jpg	Nicolas Sarkozy Minister for the Budget	Balladur	30March 1993	19January 1995 (other portfolio kept)	RPR
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Philippe Douste-Blazy.jpg	Philippe Douste-Blazy Deputy Minister for Health under the Minister for Social Affairs, Health and Urban Affairs	Balladur	19January 1995 (additional portfolio)	11May 1995	UDF (CDS)
colspan="8" Template:CellCategory
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:François Baroin (50277562053) (cropped).jpg	François Baroin (1st) Secretary of State under the Prime Minister	1st Juppé	18May 1995	7November 1995	RPR
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Alain Lamassoure - Sarkozy's meeting in Toulouse for the 2007 French presidential election 0040 2007-04-12.jpg	Alain Lamassoure Deputy Minister for the Budget under the Minister of the Economy and Finance	2nd Juppé	7November 1995	2June 1997	UDF (PR)
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Catherine Trautmann MEP, Strasbourg - Diliff.jpg	Catherine Trautmann Minister of Culture and Communication	Jospin	4June 1997	30March 1998 (other portfolio kept)	PS
colspan="8" Template:VacantTemplate:Refn
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Jean-François Copé, Député-maire de Meaux 2015 (cropped).jpg	Jean-François Copé Secretary of State for Relations with Parliament under the Prime Minister (2002–2004) Deputy Minister for the Interior under the Minister of the Interior, Homeland Security, and Local Liberties (March–November 2004) Deputy Minister for the Budget and Budget Reform under the Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industry (2004–2005) Deputy Minister for the Budget and Government Reform under the Minister of the Economy and Finance (2005–2007)	1st, 2nd, 3rd Raffarin Villepin	7May 2002	15May 2007	UMP
colspan="8" Template:CellCategory
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Christine Albanel, 2007.jpg	Christine Albanel Minister of Culture and Communication	1st Fillon	18May 2007	18June 2007	UMP
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Laurent Wauquiez Fondapol 2 (cropped).jpg	Laurent Wauquiez Secretary of State under the Prime Minister	2nd Fillon	19June 2007	18March 2008 (moved)	UMP
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Luc Chatel par Claude Truong-Ngoc août 2015.jpg	Luc Chatel Secretary of State for Industry and Consumer Affairs under the Minister of the Economy, Industry and Employment (2008–2009) Minister of National Education (2009–2010)	2nd Fillon	18March 2008 (moved)	13November 2010	UMP
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:François Baroin (50277562053) (cropped).jpg	François Baroin (2nd) Minister for the Budget, Public Accounts, the Civil Service and Government Reform	3rd Fillon	14November 2010	29June 2011 (moved)	UMP
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:UMP regional elections Paris 2010-01-21 n11.jpg	Valérie Pécresse Minister for the Budget, Public Accounts and Government Reform	3rd Fillon	29June 2011 (moved)	10May 2012	UMP
colspan="8" Template:CellCategory
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Portrait Najat Vallaud-Belkacem-crop.jpg	Najat Vallaud-Belkacem Minister of Women’s Rights	1st–2nd Ayrault	16May 2012	31March 2014	PS
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Stéphane Le Foll (2014) (cropped).jpg	Stéphane Le Foll Minister of Agriculture, Agrifood and Forestry	1st–2nd Valls Cazeneuve	2April 2014	10May 2017	PS
colspan="8" Template:CellCategory
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Christophe Castaner Besançon 13-03-2019 Toufik-de-Planoise 2.jpg	Christophe Castaner Secretary of State for Relations with Parliament under the Prime Minister	1st–2nd Philippe	17May 2017	24November 2017 (other position kept)	LaREM
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Benjamin Griveaux (40581872673) (cropped).jpg	Benjamin Griveaux Secretary of State under the Prime Minister	2nd Philippe	24November 2017 (moved)	27March 2019 (resigned)	LaREM
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:MH-Sibeth (cropped).jpg	Sibeth Ndiaye Secretary of State under the Prime Minister	2nd Philippe	31March 2019 (joined)	3July 2020	LaREM
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Gabriel Attal, February 2023.jpg	Gabriel Attal Secretary of State under the Prime Minister	Castex	6July 2020	16May 2022	LaREM
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:20200730 Portrait officiel Olivia Grégoire Gézelin Grée MINEFI.jpg	Olivia Grégoire Secretary of State under the Prime Minister	Borne	20May 2022	4July 2022 (moved)	LaREM
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Olivier Véran en 2022 lors d'un déplacement en Isère.png	Olivier Véran Deputy Minister for Democratic Renewal under the Prime Minister	Borne	4July 2022 (moved)	9January 2024	LaREM
style="background:Template:Party color"|						RE (renamed)
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Prisca Thevenot 2023 (cropped).jpg	Prisca Thevenot Deputy Minister for Democratic Renewal under the Prime Minister	Attal	11January 2024	16 July 2024	RE
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Maud Bregeon (2023).jpg	Maud Bregeon Deputy Minister under the Prime Minister	Barnier	21 September 2024	5 December 2024	RE
style="background:Template:Party color"|	File:Sophie Primas.png	Sophie Primas Deputy Minister under the Prime Minister	Bayrou	22 December 2024	Incumbent	Independent

See also

• Minister of Information (France) – Earlier equivalent position (1938–1974)
• Template:Category link/core – Foreign counterparts
• Public relations

Sources

• – Based on interviews with former spokespersons.

External links

• Sophie Primas on the Government portal Template:In lang
• Press conferences by the spokesperson after Councils of Ministers on the Government portal Template:In lang