2023-06-14 12:56:24
The Quinze-Vingts hospital no longer has a director. The appointment of Nicolas Péju at the head of this institution of the 12e arrondissement of Paris was canceled Monday, June 12 by the administrative justice, due to multiple procedural defects, according to information from the Monde.
Beyond the microcosm of the senior hospital public service, this decision – extremely rare – is a disavowal for Aurélien Rousseau, the chief of staff of the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne. This influential senior official, who is regarding to leave Matignon, was indeed one of the main architects of this contentious appointment, in April 2021.
Then director of the regional health agency (ARS) of Ile-de-France, Aurélien Rousseau was responsible for interviewing and evaluating the six candidates approached to take over the management of this prestigious establishment, an international reference in terms of ophthalmology. However, the personality finally chosen to lead the Quinze-Vingts, Nicolas Péju, was none other than his deputy, the number two of the ARS.
Denouncing a conflict of interest, two unions of hospital executives – Syncass-CFDT and Force Ouvrière (FO) hospital executives – demanded in 2021 the cancellation of this appointment, tainted, according to them, with bias. The administrative court of Paris agreed with them on June 12, judging the procedure flawed due to the “active role” played by Aurélien Rousseau in “the selection procedure”.
An irregular deportation procedure
Aurélien Rousseau had nevertheless delegated to two “independent qualified personalities”, outside the ARS, interviewing and evaluating candidates. The Administrative Court noted, however, that this “ad hoc transfer mechanism, not provided for by the texts” was not legal: Mr. Rousseau should have rather seized his hierarchical superior, the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, so that he organizes the selection procedure. Above all, the court questions the reality of the deportation of Aurélien Rousseau, noting that no details have been provided as to the “selection methods” and to “guarantees of independence” of these two designated personalities. Solicited by The worldAurélien Rousseau ensures that “This procedure had been validated with the legal department of the Ministry of Health”.
The administrative judges also point to a second irregularity, from Nicolas Péju himself: then deputy director of the ARS Ile-de-France, which supervises the hospitals in the Ile-de-France region, he should not have been appointed head of a establishment that was within its perimeter. This so-called rule of territorial incompatibility – valid for the three years following the end of the management, inspection or control functions – is similar to that which makes it possible to prevent senior civil servants from being recruited by companies that they checked. “This important principle aims to respect equal access to jobs and prevent conflicts of interest”notes Philippe Guinard, secretary general of FO hospital executives. “This rule, negotiated on an equal basis, is displayed and known: no one can ignore it”adds Maxime Morin, Syncass-CFDT.
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