The task is not going to be easy for the head of state, who finds himself for the first time facing a government made up of personalities who would probably never have imagined, just a few months ago, working together.
Published on 02/01/2025 12:40
Reading time: 2min
Emmanuel Macron will meet on Friday January 3 at the Élysée in front of a sort of political melting pot unprecedented under the Fifth Republic: from Élisabeth Borne to Bruno Retailleau, via Manuel Valls, Rachida Dati, Éric Lombard, Gérald Darmanin and of course the Prime Minister, François Bayrou. We can speak of a morning reunion of the old world gathered around a president who was supposed to embody renewal in politics, but who, in addition to having missed his bet to do politics differently, is weakened and demonetized like never before.
What are the levers that the Head of State could still activate to try to regain control tomorrow in front of his ministers? Hold exactly or almost the same speech as that made during these wishes on Tuesday, namely setting a course for the year 2025: that of “collective recovery”, on which its ministers will have to work. Also put pressure on François Bayrou to find compromises with the opposition, therefore avoid further censorship and try to finally pass a budget for the country. And of course, make it clear that he can take control from the Élysée at any time by proposing, for example, to consult the French on subjects that he considers “determinants” and that he is the only one who can request, by drawing out article 11 of the Constitution, to submit a bill to a referendum.
By appointing François Bayrou to Matignon, the President of the Republic has, in any case, shown that he wants to keep power and give up almost nothing. And this, despite the electoral slaps received by his camp in the European elections and during the early legislative elections last summer. And a dissolution which will have cost him his second five-year term, politically speaking, but whose devastating effects he now recognizes.
