When he sees Macky Sall, the Senegalese Head of State (who admirably refused a third term imposed on him by his majority and political friends), Emmanuel Macron will address him as “Tu – My friend” and even “My Brother.” Yet, for the second time, without a second thought, he has humiliated him. Twice in a row, he has chosen two Senegalese-French individuals (referred to as SENEF in Senegal), and twice, he has discarded them without any support, even though the government positions he entrusted them with are highly exposed.
The first victim of Emmanuel Macron’s inconsistency (now leaning left, then right) is one of his loyal supporters from the beginning, Sibeth Ndiaye. Appointed government spokesperson in 2017, much to the pleasant surprise of the public, she gradually began to face attacks from racist France, which couldn’t tolerate a Black woman, especially of African origin, revealing the contents of the cabinet meetings every Wednesday. Instead of listening to her, they sought ways to trap her in her words and expressions.
Repeatedly aired on news channels, some of which are owned by a businessman known for being racist, even though it is precisely the Negro-Africans who made him rich, these successive controversies eventually forced the President to yield. Instead of supporting the French idea he wanted to share, he retreated by replacing her with Gabriel Attal, a fair-skinned White man. And just like that, all criticisms ceased, even though Gabriel Attal was not an extraordinary spokesperson. Since then, Sibeth Ndiaye has been forgotten. Does Macron still remember her? The Elysée Palace must know that in Senegal, Africa, and within the African community in France (which consists of over six million voters), people still love and support Sibeth Ndiaye.
As if that were not enough, the same young President repeats the pattern by targeting another SENEF. Afrique Education had applauded when he appointed Pap Ndiaye as Minister of National Education. However, Macron is not François Hollande, who completely ignored the attacks from racists when he entrusted the Ministry of Higher Education and Research from 2014 to 2017 to Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, a Moroccan-French woman. You can say whatever you want about François Hollande, but at least he was a politician, and Najat Vallaud-Belkacem remained in her position until the end of his term.
Pap Ndiaye, on the other hand, was cruelly abandoned by Emmanuel Macron and Elisabeth Borne. It was an act of supreme cowardice because this minister did not deserve it. He successfully managed the 2023 Baccalaureate exams and had begun to implement reforms for the September school year.
However, in this ministry (where every parent thinks they are the minister), accepting changes is not easy, even when you see that the minister is trying to make progress. Especially when it comes to the thorny issue of lack of resources.
With a debt-to-GDP ratio of 115%, does France have budget margins to launch a Marshall Plan for national education, as Pap Ndiaye had fervently hoped? Credit to him, for those of us parents who can judge with a little objectivity, he did not fail. This ministry requires colossal resources and a certain amount of time to implement and follow through with reforms. If racists think that a Black person should not educate their children, it is their business. But Gabriel Attal, who became the Minister of Education, even after managing national accounts, will not reinvent the wheel. The problems of the French national education system are well known. And Pap Ndiaye did not have the time, the listening, or the means to solve them.
Let Sibeth Ndiaye (here at the Elysée) be proud of having worked effectively for the President, even if she received only disrespect and ingratitude in return. That’s how the political world works. The humiliation of Black people in France must stop. The President of the Republic doesn’t need to appoint Blacks to his government today only to dismiss them at the slightest storm tomorrow.
A role model to follow: Didier Deschamps is not afraid to occasionally put nine Blacks in the starting lineup because he fears the opinions of the right-wing and far-right. He does it because he has transcended racism and only sees the beautiful game of each player, which allows France to win. It is unfortunate that the composition of the French government is influenced by the vociferations of right-wing and far-right extremists, and that Macron capitulates before them. This does not honor politics in any way.
From now on, it is up to the SENEF to mobilize the other six million African-French nationals to make good use of their voting power, starting next year and in future electoral events. Enough is enough!
