Prince Albert II of Monaco appointed Christophe Mirmand Head of Government, the princely palace announced Thursday, July 3, in order to regain stability in the Principality. Christophe Mirmand must take office on July 21.
This 63-year-old enarque was prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes, Corsica, the Brittany region and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. Since January, he has been chief of staff to the Minister of Overseas, Manuel Valls. “His great experience, his professionalism and his rigor constitute determining assets to support the principality in her current and future challenges”said the palace in its press release.
Appointed by the prince, the head of government, who has the title of Minister of State, is traditionally a personality detached by France, responsible for conducting politics and ensuring the administration of the very small Mediterranean territory of 38,000 inhabitants.
After a succession of former prefects with rather managers profiles, Albert II had innovated last year by choosing Didier Guillaume, a former mayor, president of General Council, Senator and Minister of Agriculture (2018-2020).
A media-judicial battle for several years in Monaco
This more political profile had quickly attracted to Monaco and after the premature death of the former Minister of Agriculture in January, the Prince had taken five months to choose Philippe Mettoux, State advisor, legal director of the SNCF and former collaborator of Dominique de Villepin. But Mr. Mettoux, who was to take office on July 4, gave up at the end of June by denouncing in a press release “Negative forces and contrary already at work to perpetuate the archaic practices of the past”.
This rhetoric recalled the media-judicial battle which has been raging for several years in Monaco, involving former relatives of the prince now dismissed and accused of embezzlement, who denounce in return a stranglehold of the real estate magnate Patrice Pastor on the rock.
According to The letter et Le Canard Enchaînéthe obstacles in fact rather come from the Elysée, which had not been informed beforehand of the choice of Albert II and who pushed for him to change his mind.
