French President Emmanuel Macron has delayed his announcement of a new prime minister until Friday morning, his office confirmed on Thursday. The decision comes after Macron returned early from a trip to Poland, adding to the ongoing political drama in France.
“The statement naming the new prime minister will be published tomorrow morning,” the Elysee presidential palace announced. Such delay just days after Mr Macron assured party leaders that this new prime minister would soon be announced, within a 48-hour timeframe no less, following his much-anticipated meetings with these party leaders earlier this week.
On Tuesday, Macron committed to naming a new leader as Prime Minister Michel Barnier will be replaced after this week’s historic no-confidence vote. Macron’s guarantee for a quick decision responds to the political crisis brewing in France, especially after Barnier’s government collapsed last week.
Political Context In Delay
This week, the discussions were about how to move forward after the dramatic fall of Barnier’s government, a situation brought about by divisions within the French political landscape. The no-confidence vote, which led to Barnier’s ousting, was primarily driven by the far-right National Rally (RN) and the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI). These groups, who were key to Barnier’s removal, were notably excluded from the talks about the new prime minister.
It is such a situation that Macron needs to be under pressure and get himself a broad coalition strong enough to survive any other vote of no confidence. Furthermore, he needs to approve next year’s budget so as not to face a third consecutive year of France’s economic and political turbulence. Macron has never taken more crucial decisions than this as there is no approved budget for 2025 so far.
Search For New Prime Minister
Compounding policy disagreements are the internal wrangling within Macron’s party and other political parties involving tensions and personal interests, while the search for a new prime minister becomes an obstacle. A primary bone of contention is the pension reform, which was undertaken in 2023 to bring the official retirement age up to 64 by President Macron. That is something the centrist and the right-wing consider fundamental in bringing the budget back to balance, whereas it appears to be oppressive to citizens from the working class from the left perspective.
One more serious challenge Macron will have to face is the appointment question. The president’s alleged first choice, the veteran centrist Francois Bayrou, has stirred unease on both ends of the political spectrum. Bayrou is viewed by left-wing detractors as an icon of continuity for Macron’s policies, which have mostly been unpopular among the left. On the right, Bayrou is personally abhorred by former President Nicolas Sarkozy, who still wields a good deal of influence within the right-wing circles.
Other Contenders For Job
While Bayrou remains in the lead, other politicians are also in the race to become the prime minister. They include former Socialist interior minister and prime minister Bernard Cazeneuve, the current Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu, a loyal Macron ally, and former Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
Despite the clear favorites, it is very possible that Macron will surprise people with an outsider candidate, similar to when Michel Barnier was announced after a long search in September. At this point, the situation is still so fluid in the political sphere that a final decision cannot be made.
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