After more than fifty days, France finally has a new Prime Minister in the person of Michel Barnier, a member of LR. The criterion that prevailed in appointing him: his “uncensorability” by the National Assembly. And more particularly, the assurance that the deputies of the National Rally will not immediately vote for a motion of censure against him. Which led Jean-Luc Mélenchon to denounce a government “almost […] of Mr. Macron and Mrs. Le Pen.” “Does Mr. Mélenchon mean that the RN is the kingmaker? He is right for once,” replied Joshua Hochart, RN senator from the North.
“We will judge his general policy speech on its merits”
No automatic censorship of RN deputies towards a Barnier government. This is indeed what the leaders of the far-right party affirmed when the latter’s appointment to Matignon was announced. “We will judge his general policy speech on the evidence,” tweeted Jordan Bardella, the president of the National Rally. Marine Le Pen, president of the group in the National Assembly, affirms that the members of her group will be “attentive to the project that he will carry.” No automatic censorship, therefore. But “no carte blanche signed” either, according to the words of RN senator from Pas-de-Calais Christopher Szczurek, “the only government that would satisfy us would be a Bardella government.” “The RN will not participate in any government whatsoever,” recalled Marine Le Pen on LCI.
A man who “treated the RN and its voters without cordon sanitaire”
Michel Barnier ticks several boxes to satisfy the members of the RN and allow him to remain Prime Minister “for more than 48 hours”, according to Joshua Hochart. They recognize in him a man who has “treated the RN and its voters without cordon sanitaire”, according to Christopher Szczurek. A condition on which Marine Le Pen insists. She salutes a man “respectful of the different political forces and capable of being able to address the National Rally”. “The Republican front, that no longer makes sense”, denounces Senator Szczurek, “if there is a political force that has demonstrated its radicalism and its ambiguity on anti-Semitism, it is France Insoumise. We have shown our total respect for our institutions”.
If Michel Barnier, a man of the right like Xavier Bertrand, also tipped for the post, has won the favor of the Elysée, it is perhaps also for this reason. Relations between Xavier Bertrand and the National Rally have indeed been frosty, since he was elected in 2015 at the head of the Hauts-de-France region against Marine Le Pen, in a republican front approach. “He has been sectarian from A to Z, he manages the region by communicating. We judge him on the evidence, him,” asserts Christopher Szczurek, who was a regional councilor of Hauts-de-France.
“There are several Michel Barniers: the zealous European Commissioner and the candidate in the LR primary for the presidential election”
Michel Barnier may also appeal to the National Rally on substance. Indeed, during the LR primary for the presidential election, candidate Barnier had taken a very firm position on immigration, going so far as to call for a referendum and a moratorium on immigration and then to plead to “no longer be subject to the rulings of the CJEU [Cour de Justice de l’UE, ndlr] or the ECHR [Cour européenne des droits de l’homme] “There are several Michel Barniers: the zealous European Commissioner and the candidate in the LR primary for the presidential election, who agreed to speak to RN voters and treat them normally. If it’s him, we can take a wait-and-see approach,” judges Christopher Szczurek. The watchword: wait for his general policy speech.
The measures desired by the RN concern the establishment of proportional representation, a tougher stance on immigration and security, and purchasing power.
“A Prime Minister from the political party that has resisted the least in these legislative elections”
No automatic censorship, a wait-and-see stance, but a role of “responsible opposition”, according to the words of RN MP Laurent Jacobelli. However, far-right elected officials remain surprised by this name for Matignon. “It remains extremely astonishing that after two months, Emmanuel Macron has come to appoint a Prime Minister from the political party that has resisted the least in these legislative elections”, judges Christopher Szczurek.
