Interview
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A Macronist from the start, the resigning Minister for Industry, who is also Vice-President of the National Assembly, warns the new Prime Minister that he will not accept him dipping into the RN’s programme.
Under fire from the left, which brought at least 110,000 people onto the streets on Saturday, and “under surveillance” of the RN, which agreed not to censor him from the outset but will judge him “on parts”, Michel Barnier continued his round table discussions this weekend by receiving the former Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, the President of the Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet, Edouard Philippe and the representatives of Horizons, François Bayrou, the President of the Modem… With the former majority, however, nothing is certain for Emmanuel Macron’s plan B at Matignon. Roland Lescure, the resigning Minister for Industry and Energy, said: “being careful that we do not succumb to purchases from the RN program” and fixes its red lines. Re-elected in July, the deputy Together for the Republic (EPR) of the French of North America does not wish to be part of the future government.
Michel Barnier’s appointment has been received in mixed terms at Renaissance. The right wing is enthusiastic, others are mixed. How did you react?
It’s not a question of a person. Michel Barnier is a great European, a fine negotiator. I was rather put off by his “all right” campaign during the right-wing primary in 2021. But the main thing is elsewhere: it’s the political equation that accompanies his nomination. I hear and understand the problems of the RN voters that I have encountered in the factories over the last two years.
