François Rebsamen, former socialist minister and current president of Dijon Métropole, announced his availability to join the future government. In an interview given to La Tribune Sunday on December 21, he explained that this decision was motivated by a demanding political and economic context, but also by his long-standing relationship with Prime Minister François Bayrou.
A commitment after years of refusal
The former Minister of Labor under François Hollande, aged 73, says he has declined several offers of ministerial positions since 2012. Today, he believes that circumstances require a commitment. “ Since 2012, I have repeatedly refused to be a minister. Today I am ready to commit“, he declares.
He highlights the “ culture of compromise » by François Bayrou, whom he considers to be the man for the job. “He has the culture of compromise that the country needs, he showed it in 2012 by voting for François Hollande. All of this influences my decision,” explains François Rebsamen.
Maintained in Dijon Métropole
Despite his possible entry into government, François Rebsamen specified that he would retain his mandate as president of Dijon Métropole. He thus wishes to continue his local work while contributing to government action. Since 2022, he has also been at the head of the Progressive Federation, a political movement aiming to bring together left-wing elected officials and citizens disappointed by the Socialist Party.
A call for left unity
In this interview, François Rebsamen calls on the Socialist Party to go beyond partisan logic to favor the general interest. “ Now is not the time for empty chair politics or electoral calculations. I call on all those who put the country's interest before their personal interest to participate in government, or at least to join a broad union of general interest, as the Prime Minister proposed to them.“, he declares.
The dilemma of the socialists facing the Bayrou government
This statement comes as François Bayrou is struggling to convince the Socialist Party to support his government. If the PS had initially suggested that a compromise was possible, the negotiations seem to have reached an impasse. Last Thursday, the First Secretary of the PS, Olivier Faure, expressed his dissatisfaction with the proposals made by the Prime Minister, describing them as “poor” and suggesting that the PS could pass a motion of censure.
François Rebsamen nevertheless hopes that his call for unity will find an echo within the Socialist Party. According to him, the country needs a government capable of overcoming divisions to face current challenges.
With this position, François Rebsamen presents himself as a key player in a possible political recomposition, at the crossroads of the left and the center. It remains to be seen whether his commitment will be enough to ease tensions and strengthen the future government.
