Censorship of the Barnier government: what reactions in France following this unprecedented scenario since 1962?

The sentence fell at 8:27 p.m.: the motion of censure filed by the New Popular Front was adopted, this Wednesday, December 4, 2024. What reactions in the French political scene?

Yaël Braun-Pivet: “I salute the courage and commitment of Michel Barnier”

She was the one who announced the result of the vote: Yaël Braun-Pivet a, a few moments after having formalized the adoption of the motion with 331 votespublished a message on her X account. A tribute to Michel Barnier, of whom she “salutes the courage and commitment“. The President of the National Assembly spoke of a “Republican who has always exercised his responsibilities with dignity and seriousness” and recalled a “journey which testifies with sincere attachment to our institutions and the values ​​which founded our Republic”.

Mathilde Panot: “Emmanuel Macron must go”

After the announcement of the results, the president of the La France Insoumise group was one of the first to speak. “Emmanuel Macron must go“, asserted Mathilde Panot. “We are in such a moment of political crisis created by the President of the Republic that there remains only one solution to break the impasse: this solution is early presidential elections so that the people can re-decide through the ballot boxes the path they want to take for our common destiny.”

Jordan Bardella: “We took our responsibilities”

President of the National Rally, Jordan Bardella assured that, by voting on this motion of censure, “we took our responsibilities by blocking a budget which increased taxation by an additional 40 billion euros. We protected the French“. He looked back on the last few months, saying that a “new political situation was born from the legislative elections and it can no longer be ignored“.

Bruno Retailleau: “One goal, chaos”

Successor to Gérald Darmanin in September as Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleauwho paid tribute to Michel Barnier, denounced the formation, within the framework of this motion, of a “totally contradictory alliance of the carp and the rabbitwhich had only one goal: chaos. Tonight, Madame Le Pen mixed his voices with those of the Insoumis, those who, a few days ago, tabled a bill to repeal the offense of advocating terrorism.

Marine Le Pen: “Emmanuel Macron is mainly responsible”

Questioned on the set of TF1, Marine Le Pen, president of the National Rally group in the Assembly, repeated that “this budget (proposed by Michel Barnier, Editor's note) was toxic for the French. The only worthy solution was to oppose it.” If the candidate for the 2012, 2017 and 2022 presidential elections said “do not ask” for resignation of Emmanuel Macron, she still said of the head of state that he “is the main person responsible for the current situation“.

Olivier Faure: “We must accept a left-wing Prime Minister”

First Secretary of the Socialist Party, Olivier Faurewho says he voted for the motion of censure “with gravity”, demanded of Emmanuel Macron that he “finally hear the French, which placed the left in the lead during the legislative elections, but without an absolute majority. We must respect this choice and accept a left-wing prime minister which is open to compromise”. Before expressing a wish, that of being able to “negotiate a non-censorship agreement, in exchange for which we are ready to govern without 49.3”.

Laurent Wauquiez: “The choice of disorder”

He repeated it when he spoke in the hemicycle, before the vote. Laurent Wauquiez wrote it again on his X account a few minutes after the announcement of the results. The president of the Republican Right group in the National Assembly declared that “the French will judge the choice harshly of those who claim to straighten out the country and today choose disorder.”

Valérie Pécresse: “A sad day for France”

President of the Île-de-France Region, Valérie Pécresse also deplored the result of the vote. “It is a sad day for France. Michel Barnier had tried to put the country back on track. It had set itself the objective of putting the accounts in order at our borders,” she wrote. “Today, the RN, in an unnatural alliance with LFIwho has already subjected the entire left to his diktats, is playing the worst-case policy for the country and our compatriots!”

Jean-Luc Mélenchon: “Even with a Barnier every three months…”

Although he is no longer an MP, Jean-Luc Mélenchon went to the National Assembly to follow this afternoon which has become historic. He sold himself with a Tweet, on his X account, after the results: “The inevitable censorship took place. Even with a Barnier every three months, Macron will not last three years“.

Edouard Philippe: “We are on the brink of the abyss”

Mayor of Le Havre, founder of the Horizons party but above all former Prime Minister, Edward Philippe greeted one of his successors, to whom he addressed a “friendly and grateful greeting. Government censorship reinforces political disorder and weakens our country. With Horizons, we will do everything to stabilize the political situation.” He nevertheless tempered: “Let's be clear, we are on the edge of the abyss“.

André Chassaigne: “We need a left-wing Prime Minister”

President of the Democratic and Republican Left in the hemicycle, André Chassaigne assured that this censorship “could only happen“, and stressed that the government in place “had no legitimacy derived from the elections”. Before calling for a “Left-wing Prime Minister from the New Popular Front” be named. “In any case, that's what we wear, because we believe that in this country, it is possible to do a policy that allows for a transformation of society and above all, which meets the expectations of the population.”

Boris Vallaud: “Be there for this moment”

The leader of the PS deputies, Boris Vallaudalso spoke after the results. On Franceinfo, he asked Emmanuel Macron “to be faithful to the results of the legislative electionsto behave as in any democracy where the first parliamentary bloc to come first sees itself the mission of constituting a government and finding a majority”. According to him, after this motion of censure, “the responsibility of all and of all is to be there for this moment.” Boris Vallaud called for the formation of a “left-wing government open to compromise“.

Eric Zemmour: “Meanwhile, France suffers and waits”

President of Reconquête!, Eric Zemmour published a long message on account will not come from this political classnor of this Parliament where it is agitated”, he began, saying that the politicians, by wanting to “slap Macron in the face” just put him back at the center of the game“. Before noting that “during this time, France is suffering and waiting. The French are waiting. Farmers are being pushed around again. The school continues to collapse. The borders remain gaping. Our economy is collapsing on itself. When will the circus end?“

Maud Bregeon: “Our compass remains the general interest”

“An unprecedented anti-Republican front brought together this evening the forces of the extreme right, the extreme left and a party which governed yesterday”, declared, for her part, Maud Bregeon, spokesperson for the government. “Faced with those who speculate on instability, our compass remains the general interest“, she continued, thanking Michel Barnier, “who never stopped fighting this fight.”

Eric Ciotti: “The hope of alternation, the real one”

Founding President of the Union of Rights for the Republic, Eric Ciotti projected, indicating that “in a few days, the next government will be forced to make real savings. It will have to sit around the table with those who want the best for France. The apocalypse is indeed already here and it is suffered every day by the French. The apocalypse is the outcome of macronism.” Before discussing the issue, which is “to protect our compatriots. Censorship brings the hope of alternation, the true one, the one that the French are waiting for and hoping for“.

Emmanuel Macron will address the French on Thursday, at 8 p.m.

The President of the Republic has not spoken since the results were made official. But the Elysée announced that the head of state will address the French at 8 p.m., Thursday December 5, 2024.