Macron undermined as environment chief resigns live on radio
France’s high-profile environment minister has unexpectedly announced his resignation live on national radio, lamenting the government’s lack of decisive action on green issues.
Yesterday’s move deals a stinging blow to the environmental credibility of president Emmanuel Macron.
Nicolashulotsaidhehadnot even told his wife, let alone Mr Macron or his prime minister, of his decision to stand down.
The long-time environmental advocate lamented France’s slow pace of progress on green issues and his own lack of power to force change.
His on-air resignation on France Inter radio yesterday was so out of the blue that the first reaction from an interviewer was: “Are you serious?”
“I no longer want to lie to myself,” Mr Hulot said. “I don’t want to create the illusion that my presence in government means that we’re up to standard on these issues and so I am deciding to quit the government.”
Recruiting Mr Hulot as a minister had been a coup for Mr Macron, who has sought to position France as a champion in the fight against environmental degradation and as a counterweight to the climate change attitudes of US president Donald Trump.
Losing Mr Hulot so suddenly will casts doubt on the strength of Mr Macron’s commitment to “make our planet great again”. Mr Macron’s office confirmed there will be a reshuffle, but said it would not happen while the French leader was visiting Denmark and Finland this week.
Mr Hulot expressed hope his resignation would stir French politicians and the public into action, calling it “an act of mobilisation”.
“I no longer believe,” Mr Hulot said. “The planet is becoming an oven, our natural resources are being exhausted, biodiversity is melting like snow in the sun and it’s not always dealt with like a priority issue.” He damned Mr Macron’s government with faint praise as he sprang his resignation surprise.
“France is doing more than a lot of other countries,” he said. “Do not make me say that it is doing enough. It is not doing enough. Europe is not doing enough. The world is not doing enough.”
Never a career politician, Mr Hulot accepted a role in government in the hope that from an inside position he could make real progress on environmental concerns he has long sounded the alarm about.
He was one of just two ministers given the special title of “minister of state”. The other is the interior minister, who leads the police and France’s domestic fight against terrorism. Mr Hulot said short-term pressures were taking priority for the French government over the longer-term need to reverse environmental destruction.