Emmanuel Macron on Thursday ruled out resigning the day after the censorship of Michel Barnier's government and announced that he would appoint in the coming days a Prime Minister responsible for forming a “government of general interest” which would represent all the political forces involved not to censor it.
While several groups or political figures have called for his resignation in the face of political impasse, the head of state has brushed aside any idea of an early departure before the end of his mandate in thirty months, even if he admitted that the dissolution of the National Assembly which he decided last June had not been “comprise”. “The mandate that you democratically entrusted to me is a five-year mandate and I will exercise it fully until its end”said the President of the Republic during a fifteen-minute televised speech.
“My responsibility requires ensuring the continuity of the State, the proper functioning of our institutions, the independence of our country and the protection of all of you.” The censorship of the Barnier government was made possible because “the extreme right and the extreme left have united in an anti-republican front, and because forces which until yesterday governed France have chosen to ally themselves”lamented Emmanuel Macron, refusing to assume their “irresponsibility”.
He notably accused the National Rally of having voted “a motion of censure which said the opposite of his program”thus choosing “the disorder”. While France is still deprived of a budget for 2025, the Head of State announced that a special law would be tabled before mid-December in Parliament.
“This temporary law will allow, as is provided for by our Constitution, the continuity of public services and the life of the country, it will apply for 2025 the choices of 2024 and I fully expect that a majority will be able to emerge for adopt it in Parliament.”
A “clear course” for the remaining thirty months
He then called for the constitution “of a government of general interest representing all the political forces of an arc of government which can participate in it or at the very least which undertakes not to censor it”. Emmanuel Macron then wanted to draw inspiration from the work accomplished for the Paris Olympic Games or the restoration of Notre-Dame, the reopening of which he will inaugurate to the public on Saturday, in order to set a “cap clair” for the thirty months remaining between now and the end of his five-year term, in May 2027.
-“School, health, safety, work, progress, climate, Europe. Clear actions that a government must take in the service of the country”declared the head of state. While waiting for the appointment of a Prime Minister, strategies are being put in place among the political forces. The Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu, cited in the press as a potential Prime Minister, called for “do everything so that the socialists break away from La France insoumise”.
The reactions
In a press release, the Socialist Party (PS) reaffirmed its desire “to see a left-wing Prime Minister called to responsibilities, open to compromise, who renounces any force via article 49.3, in return for which a non-censorship agreement would be signed”. According to information from Le Monde, Boris Vallaud, the boss of the Socialist Party deputies, and Patrick Kanner, his counterpart in the Senate, will be received Friday morning at the Elysée.
“We will oppose a left-wing prime minister”for her part warned Thursday evening Marine Le Pen, president of the RN parliamentary group, during a long interview on CNews. Questioned on TF1, Jean-Luc Mélenchon once again called for the resignation of the President of the Republic, “who makes a mess”, “who blocks everything and doesn’t want to hear anyone”.
“If the next Prime Minister applies the measures for which we were preferred – repeal of retirement at 64, increase in the minimum wage, then we will support him. Otherwise, we will fight him”also warned the leader of La France insoumise (LFI).
