France’s finance minister Le Maire leaving politics to teach in Switzerland

PARIS — Outgoing French Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire is leaving politics for a teaching position in the idyllic lakeside Swiss city of Lausanne.

Le Maire announced his plans to a group of reporters following a farewell speech in the courtyard of the Economy Ministry in Paris.

“After 22 years of loyal service, I’m going back to my first vocation, teaching … this time in economics and geopolitics, to think about what tomorrow’s economy might look like, how to decarbonize the economy, how to reduce inequalities,” Le Maire said.

“I’m going to do this in Lausanne, at the Université de Lausanne, and I’ll really enjoy meeting students and talking to them,” he added.

In his speech Le Maire made clear that he will still be living in France, which he called “my homeland, my life, my passion.”

Le Maire has been in his post since 2017, making him the longest-serving economy minister in modern French history. He and the rest of President Emmanuel Macron’s cabinet resigned in July following his party’s defeat in snap elections. Le Maire has been serving as a caretaker since then. New Prime Minister Michel Barnier, who was named last week, has yet to appoint Le Maire’s successor.

Asked whether he was leaving politics forever, Le Maire said he was “taking a step back from political life” to reflect and “get some fresh air.” Le Maire’s presidential ambitions are an open secret in France’s political circles.

In a written statement, the University of Lausanne told POLITICO that Le Maire will be teaching at the Enterprise for Society Center (E4S,) a joint venture of the University of Lausanne and other management schools and research centers.

Nicolas Camut contributed reporting