Jean Castex Secures Strong Parliamentary Approval as SNCF CEO

On October 22, 2025, Jean Castex, the current president of RATP, received broad parliamentary endorsement for his appointment as CEO of SNCF, France’s national railway company. The vote, conducted under Article 13 of the French Constitution, saw an overwhelming majority with 60 out of 67 parliamentarians supporting Castex's candidacy, while only seven opposed or abstained. This approval marks a key step in his transition from RATP to leading SNCF.

Castex’s nomination underwent review by the Haute Autorité pour la transparence de la vie publique (HATVP), which had previously expressed concerns about his contact with former government ministers following his RATP appointment in 2022. However, during the Senate hearing, Castex noted that the HATVP declared itself incompetent in his case, removing potential hurdles to his new role.

The parliamentary validation came after an initial Senate vote on October 15, followed by the Assembly vote on October 22, reflecting a generally favorable political consensus towards Castex's leadership of the strategic transport enterprise.

This approval sets the stage for Castex to steer SNCF, a major public entity vital to France’s infrastructure and economy, amid evolving transport sector challenges. It underscores both political confidence and regulatory clarity governing his appointment.