Republicans are counting on Marine Le Pen

Laurent Wauquiez said it. Michel Barnier “will have the very clear support of all [ses] parliamentarians”. How far away the hard opposition to Emmanuel Macron that Les Républicains intended to embody seems. Just like their most recent “support without participation”, conditioned on the full and complete resumption of their “legislative pact” and its red lines: no tax increases, no reduction in retirement pensions.

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Times are changing. At a rapid pace. It is now up to the head of the Republicans, if not to negotiate, at least to smooth things over with his future centrist allies – it is not out of the question that LR will eventually sit in the majority. Because the appointment of Michel Barnier offers new perspectives to the “historical channel”: a policy anchored on the right – security and anti-immigration – and a few ministerial portfolios for the most prominent executives.

Alliances of circumstance

It is up to this astonishing team to govern. And to structure a viable and consensual finance bill, receiving the leniency of the greatest number of parliamentarians, from the right as well as the left. In view of a drained public treasury and a bumpy budgetary trajectory. After all, is France not subject to a procedure for excessive deficit – well beyond the regulatory 3% – decided by Brussels?

- ParisMatch