France Appoints Moroccan Naima Moutchou as Minister for Transformation, Digitalization, and Public Service
On Sunday, October 5, the Élysée announced the new French government led by Sébastien Lecornu, retaining most of the key positions. Twelve out of fifteen ministers continued their roles from François Bayrou’s previous government, with adjustments in the portfolio for artificial intelligence and digitalization, indicating the president’s desire for stability and to maintain the expertise of the previous administration.
In a notable move, Moroccan-born deputy Naima Moutchou, 44, was appointed to lead the newly created portfolio for “transformation, public service, artificial intelligence, and digitalization.” The first cabinet meeting will take place on Monday, October 6, at the Élysée, ahead of the presentation of the government program to the National Assembly on Tuesday, reflecting the significance of this new ministry in the government’s vision for digitalization and administrative transformation.
Moutchou was born in Ermont to Moroccan parents and is a lawyer specializing in media law. She took her oath before the Paris Bar Association in 2008. Since then, she has been involved with the French Association Against Racism and Anti-Semitism, “Licra,” which has provided her with experience in civil activism and legal rights advocacy, complementing her new ministerial role.
She began her political career in 2017 by joining La République En Marche! as the deputy for Val-de-Reuil and served on the National Assembly’s Legal Affairs Committee. In 2021, she switched to the Horizons party founded by Édouard Philippe, and she currently holds the position of Deputy President of the Assembly and the party’s spokesperson. This transition reflects the new government’s commitment to integrating parliamentary expertise with a clear political vision, strengthening the ties between the French president and Édouard Philippe, while affirming Moutchou’s competence and dedication to upholding the rule of law.
