The Goncourt Academy, which awards the most prestigious French literary prizes, changed president on Monday, bringing writer Philippe Claudel at its head following a close election. The author of “Grey Souls”, 62, received five votes against four for another member of the Academy, Pierre Assouline.
Both were candidates to succeed Didier Decoin, 79, who gave up the position after having held it for four years. The latter himself took over in January 2020 to Bernard Pivot, died on May 6. The Academy had not notified that it was replacing its office on Monday evening, even though it traditionally meets on Tuesday. But, she specified, some of its members intend to go to the funeral of Mr. Pivot, scheduled for the afternoon in Quincié-en-Beaujolais (Rhône).
We also did not know with certainty that Didier Decoin, winner of the 1977 Goncourt Prize, was going to cede the presidency. He still let it be understood by explaining that the load seemed “heavy” to him. In October, he explained what many knew, that two other jurors were interested in the position. “Claudel wants it, Assouline too, but I don’t have the impression that they want to bite for it,” he told Nouvel Obs. Philippe Claudel seemed the favorite of this upcoming duel because he held the position of secretary general, which made him Mr. Decoin’s natural heir apparent.
Eventful presidency
“Philippe Claudel is elected president by five votes to Pierre Assouline’s four,” detailed the Académie Goncourt in a press release. Only nine of the ten Goncourt jurors were able to vote because one of them, Paule Constant, 80 years old, left office. She “is now an honorary member,” the Academy said.
The four Goncourt prizes chaired by Didier Decoin gave rise to a rather eventful history. The first, in 2020, postponed by several weeks to the end of November, was given behind closed doors, due to the Covid-2019 pandemic, to Hervé Le Tellier for “L’Anomalie”. The last two saw the judges oppose each other head-on for 14 rounds, with five votes to five.
The regulations provide in this case that the president’s vote counts double in the last round, which made it possible to crown “Vivre vite” by Brigitte Giraud, in November 2022, then “Veiller sur elle” by Baptiste Andrea, in November 2023. twice, Pierre Assouline was in the camp of the disappointed, those who would have preferred to award the Goncourt prize to Giuliano Da Empoli for “The Mage of the Kremlin”, then to Éric Reinhardt for “Sarah, Susanne and the writer”.
The treasurer of the Academy, Camille Laurens, was elected secretary. She retains this position on an interim basis until she appoints a successor.