The Republican parliamentarians gave their green light on Wednesday evening to participation in the future government of Michel Barnier “for a real right-wing policy”, before a meeting on Thursday with the Prime Minister who promised a new team for “next week”.
“We are ready to participate in a government, but while being attentive to the guarantees for a real right-wing policy on the subjects that we consider fundamental,” declared Laurent Wauquiez, a participant, at a meeting of LR deputies on Wednesday in Aix-les-Bains (Savoie).
In Annecy (Haute-Savoie), senators also supported the choice to join Michel Barnier’s executive, according to another source. The right has not participated in a government for 12 years, victim of successive electoral defeats that have almost threatened its disappearance.
Coming from the same political family, the former minister of Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy will go to see his people on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in Annecy. He will take the opportunity to first visit neighboring Savoie, his elected department, which he presided over for 17 years.
Michel Barnier has already met with parliamentarians from each of the components of the former majority, who have also said they are ready to participate in a government, without giving “carte blanche” to the Prime Minister.
– “Emu” –
At the Horizons parliamentary days in Reims on Wednesday, Michel Barnier said he was “very touched, even moved by the reception” from the former head of government’s party, assuring that Horizons elected officials would “of course” be included in his government, promised for “next week”.
It will indeed be a “new team”, assured Mr Barnier, who does not have an absolute majority in the National Assembly, complicating the constitution of the government team in terms of political balance.
In this regard, he will call or receive potential future ministers “from this weekend”, according to his entourage.
For his part, Edouard Philippe renewed his support for his former LR party comrade on BFMTV on Wednesday evening, “a very good choice by the President of the Republic”.
He said he was open to improving the pension reform if the “philosophy” of the 2023 reform — “working longer” — is retained. But he warned against tax increases, despite Mr Barnier’s desire for more “fiscal justice”.
On the subject of migration, Mr Philippe considered that the elimination of state medical aid (AME) envisaged by certain LR was “a very bad idea”.
In front of the MoDem parliamentarians gathered in Cély-en-Bière (Seine-et-Marne), Michel Barnier made remarks that were “appreciated” by the participants.
He indicated that there would be MoDem ministers, elected officials reported. He mentioned the idea of holding a “social conference”, promised to “look at” tax issues, to possibly “increase certain” taxes and to resume examination of the agricultural bill, interrupted by the dissolution. He also said he appreciated “the initial text” on the end of life.
– CV on the desk –
With 47 elected members in the National Assembly, the right plays a pivotal role. If its LR leader, Laurent Wauquiez, had initially ruled out participating, the line has changed and the names of several right-wing figures are circulating for important ministries.
The LR president of the Senate, Gérard Larcher, opened the breach on Tuesday by practically taking for granted the entry of the right into government.
The MP and Secretary General of LR, Annie Genevard, was also the first, on Sud Radio, to publicly express her interest in a ministry in National Education if it were offered to her.
The name of Laurent Wauquiez, who has ambitions for 2027, is among the contenders for the Ministry of the Interior.
“LR’s CVs land on Michel Barnier’s desk,” observes an amused senator, convinced that Mr. Wauquiez cannot “remain in a quagmire in the Assembly, while the others take the spotlight in government.”
“If we don’t want to be overtaken by our troops, we have to get ahead of them,” analyses this source, recalling that Nicolas Sarkozy has been arguing since 2022 that it is “within the government that we dig our hole”.
According to a senatorial source, the head of the LR senators, Bruno Retailleau, is also eyeing Place Beauvau and Bercy, and even Justice.
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