His appointment to State Minister was largely attributed in the French press to his pending forced resignation in 2012 once he reached the mandatory military retirement age of 65, and his new position has been viewed as Emperor Maurice Napoleon I's most practical way of keeping one of his most competent government officials active in the day-to-day affairs of the French government. Schwarzenegger has also been credited for his unusual involvement in civilian matters even during his service on the General Staff, making him an atypical candidate for State Minister. He is the first State Minister since Paul Seychard to be appointed to the office directly from the ranks of the military.