A recent parliamentary report by LR deputy Marie-Christine Dalloz revealed that the amount spent last year on chauffeurs, secretaries, or offices for living former presidents and heads of government is equal to 3,137,849 euros, representing an increase of 2% for heads of state, and 8% for the former occupants of Matignon – after the arrival of Gabriel Attal, Michel Barnier, and François Bayrou into the arrangement.
In detail, the costliest is Nicolas Sarkozy with 756,463 euros, followed by François Hollande with 665,477 euros, then Dominique de Villepin with about 210,000 euros. He is the most expensive former prime minister on the list, placed ahead of Bernard Cazeneuve, with 197,000 euros, or Edith Cresson, appointed under Mitterrand, with nearly 159,000 euros.
The sum of 171,000 euros had also been spent on Lionel Jospin, who died on March 22.
At the bottom, Jean Castex appears with 3,800 euros for his vehicle, and Edouard Philippe, who as mayor of Le Havre cannot yet claim these advantages.
These figures highlight the nature of these expenses, essentially related to the staff of these political figures, and little in proportion to their travel.
Another decrease in the future?
Figures that should theoretically fall in 2026, with the decree signed in January by Sébastien Lecornu which now limits the benefits of former prime ministers to ten years after their departure. These apply up to age 67, “or ten years for those who left Matignon before 2019, regardless of age”.
In this regard, Dominique de Villepin, François Fillon, Alain Juppé, Laurent Fabius, Jean-Marc Ayrault and Edith Cresson should no longer be entitled to a car with a driver.
According to Mediapart, the former prime minister who served under François Mitterrand would have obtained an exemption for “particular health and human situations”, resulting in 119,006 euros of expenditures in 2026.
Finally, Jean-Pierre Raffarin would also retain a vehicle provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
And despite a calculated decrease for this year, which would bring the cost of these privileges to 1.2 million euros and should keep it at that level in 2027, “there is no will to reduce” among those concerned, said Marie-Christine Dalloz, who thus wants to reduce to five years for everyone the availability of a car with a driver and a private secretary for all former prime ministers, with 520,000 euros in savings at stake. A measure she presented in the Finance Committee, in an amendment to the 2027 budget.
