“Even though Édouard Philippe’s presidential ambitions have long been an open secret”notes Politico, “We did not expect this heavyweight of the centre-right to announce his candidacy for the presidential election.”
As the country continues to navigate the political crisis caused by the dissolution of the National Assembly, the man whom the Brussels-based English-language media outlet considers to be “one of the most popular politicians in France” surprises by already projecting itself into the 2027 presidential election. “What I will propose will be massive,” he announced in an interview with the weekly The Point and published on September 3.
A surprising timing which notably made Richard Werly, correspondent for the Swiss newspaper, react Blick : “If he had wanted to indicate the exit to the President of the Republic, Édouard Philippe would not have gone about it any differently.”
For Werly, the announcement of the man who “embodied the early days of Macronism“being at the head of Emmanuel Macron’s first government from 2017 to July 2020 does not come at any time. On the contrary, it falls when “Macron appears weaker than ever”.
“To take all his rivals on the right by surprise”
According to the Swiss journalist, two hypotheses explain this announcement, at a time when France is still waiting for white smoke at Matignon. The first postulates “that Édouard Philippe does not believe his ex-mentor is capable of holding out for another three years.”
“More serious for the head of state: his former right-hand man is probably banking on a possible regime crisis, which could push Macron towards resignation before the end of his mandate.”
As for the second, it assumes a strategy aimed at “to take all his rivals on the right by surprise” who are still waiting for a possible appointment of a Prime Minister from their camp and do not yet have 2027 as their horizon.
Beyond the surprise or indifference that such an announcement may arouse, Richard Werly believes that the former right-hand man of the president, “hitherto absent from public debate”must overcome two obstacles to have a chance in the presidential election.
[…] - Courrier international
