Less than two years after his appointment, Hugues Moutouh is preparing to leave the Alpes-Maritimes. The prefect will join the Ministry of the Interior as Secretary General alongside Bruno Retailleau. Pascal Bolot, prefect of Morbihan, is expected to succeed him.
Hugues Moutouh will leave the Alpes-Maritimes to join the cabinet of Bruno Retailleau, Minister of the Interior. His appointment as Secretary General was confirmed in the Council of Ministers on Wednesday morning. It will be published in the Official Journal on Thursday.
Having arrived in Nice in October 2023, the former prefect of Hérault spent only a year and a half in the department. His tenure was noted for his direct communication and decisive stances.
A Departure Marked by Controversy
Before his assignment in the Alpes-Maritimes, Hugues Moutouh made an impression during the 2023 riots. One phrase in particular stood out: “If these children are raised like wild weeds, we shouldn’t be surprised that at 12 years old, they’re throwing stones at the police. The method is two slaps and off to bed!” He made these remarks on Ici Hérault and never recanted them.
In the Alpes-Maritimes, the prefect maintained the same tone. This was not always well-received. His relations with Christian Estrosi, the mayor of Nice, deteriorated over the months. In August 2024, the latter criticized the management of public order in some neighborhoods of the city, mentioning a “problem of command, competence, and responsibility.” He went on to say: “As for the two slaps and off to bed, I’m still waiting!”
The prefect’s response was swift. Hugues Moutouh denounced what he considered an unjust “attack.” He sought to defend the police officers deployed in Nice: “All the national police officers who ensure the safety of their fellow citizens day and night in this city do not deserve such denigration.”
This open conflict with the mayor of Nice marked the final months of his tenure.
Pascal Bolot Expected to Succeed Him
The name Pascal Bolot is circulating as a replacement. The current prefect of Morbihan could take office in Nice within three weeks as announced by Le Figaro.
Pascal Bolot is an experienced senior official. He was born in 1963 in Castres and has held several positions in mainland France and overseas. He has notably served in Eure-et-Loir, La Réunion, Haute-Garonne, and Moselle.
Before becoming prefect of Morbihan, he headed the prefecture of Savoie. He moved to Vannes in August 2022. He also served as Deputy Director of Cabinet at the Ministry of the Interior, with a specific mission concerning Overseas Territories.
This trajectory suggests a continuity in the security policy line of the ministry, but without the media outbursts that accompanied Hugues Moutouh’s tenure.