Patrick Martin, new president of Medef

2023-07-07 07:46:31

Posted Jul 6, 2023 at 12:22 p.m.Updated Jul 7, 2023 at 9:46 a.m.

What you need to know about the election to find a successor to Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux at the head of Medef. Patrick Martin was widely elected on July 6, 2023 against Dominique Carlac’h.

He will be the “boss of bosses” for the next five years. Patrick Martin was appointed on July 6, 2023 to succeed Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux at the head of Medef and to be the new “spokesperson” for companies.

Favorite of the ballot because of the support of important federations such as the UIMM (metallurgy), the number two of the Medef, aged 63, won against the spokesperson for the movement, Dominique Carlac’h, 54 years old , during a vote organized with the organization’s 1,123 “grand electors”.

Patrick Martin collected 748 votes, against 274 for his opponent. The participation rate exceeded 90% while the electorate had increased significantly compared to the last election.

Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux will hand over on July 17.

Geoffroy Roux de Bezieux.ROMUALD MEIGNEUX/SIPA

Under the statutes of the first French employers’ organization, Geoffroy Roux de Bezieux had been elected for a non-renewable term of five years and could not stand for re-election. To prevent the campaign from lasting too long as in 2018, its duration has been limited to four months, candidates cannot declare themselves before March 6 on pain of disqualification.

Patrick Martin and Dominique Carlac’h.

It was necessary to wait several weeks before knowing the final list of candidates who were to collect 150 sponsorships before May 5, that is to say three times more than during the previous election. Knowing that each member of the general assembly of Medef (which is in a way the Parliament of the organization) could sponsor 3 candidates.

Five years ago, nine leaders were on the starting line, seven had thrown in the towel along the way. This 2023 edition was also a match for twowhich saw Patrick Martin, the number 2 of the Medef, who had finally given up competing five years ago, rallying to Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux, and Dominique Carlac’h, vice-president and spokesperson du Medef, the only woman to have competed in 2018.

The latter was rallied by Pierre Brajeux, the delegated president of the French Security Federation, who had narrowly obtained the necessary sponsorships to participate in the election and finally gave up competing. It also benefited from the support of Olivier Klotz (Medef Alsace) and Guillaume Cairou (Club des entrepreneurs), who had not succeeded in validating their candidacies.

Patrick Martin, supported in particular by the powerful construction and metallurgy federations, was a big favorite. But Dominique Carlac’h believed he could thwart the predictions like Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux five years ago. The latter had created the surprise by beating the candidate of the metallurgy, Alexandre Saubot, Dominique Carlac’h and Patrick Martin withdrawing at the time in his favor.

A major oral presentation by the two candidates was organized on May 30, before the July 6 election.

Key election dates

6 mars : opening of the election campaign.

13 mars : opening of the sponsorship platform.

May 5 at noon: deadline for submitting applications.

9th of May : validation of the list of candidates by the statutory committee.

May 30: hearing of candidates by the general meeting of Medef in person and remotely.

June 26: debate on BFM Business

4th July : end of the election campaign.

July the 5th : Voting opens at 6 p.m.

July 6: vote and election of the president.

The election instructions

The president of Medef is elected by an electoral assembly composed of the president, the 200 members of the executive council to which are now added 1,100 – and no longer 560 – delegates representing 60% of the member professional organizations and 40% of the territorial organizations of the Medef.

The vote took electronicallyat the meeting place of the electoral assembly or remotely.

A candidate is elected in the first round if he obtains an absolute majority of votes (votes cast) and if the quorum has reached two thirds of the electorate. Otherwise a second round is organized in the process, between the two candidates who, if necessary after withdrawal of more favored candidates, have received the greatest number of votes in the first round. There is no quorum requirement for the second round.

But as for this 2023 edition there were only two candidates in the running, there was only one round of voting, where the quorum was reached.

The statutes provide that the new president takes office no later than two months after his election.