It's official. According to a press release from the Elysée relayed by Franceinfo, the President of the Republic will announce the name of the new Prime Minister on Friday morning in a press release.
Finally a decision? Thursday, December 12, the Élysée announced, in a press release notably reported by Franceinfo, that Emmanuel Macron will appoint the future Prime Minister on Friday, December 13 in the morning. While he had promised, Tuesday, the appointment of the tenant of Matignon in “the next 48 hours“, the Head of State slightly pushes back the deadline. According to information reported by the news channel, citing the entourage of the Head of State, the initial deadline was pushed back because the President “concludes its consultations”.
Is François Bayrou really the favorite?
But then who to succeed Michel Barnier? The name of the president of the MoDem (Democratic Movement), François Bayrou, has been coming up insistently for several days in the media to such an extent that he is seen as the favorite among the President's short list. Moreover, the 73-year-old man was invited to the Élysée “at the request of the president” Tuesday December 10, according to BFMTV. However, other names are circulating such as that of Bernard Cazeneuve. The former member of the Socialist Party and former Prime Minister under François Hollande had already been mentioned before Michel Barnier was chosen. And according to one of his close friends, he has regained a certain popularity Finally, Sébastien Lecornu, current Minister of the Armed Forces, Catherine Vautrin, Minister of Partnership with the Territories and Decentralization, and Jean-Yves Le Drian, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, are also part of the rumors mentioned for Matignon.
One last name was also mentioned recently: that of Roland Lescure, former Minister of Industry, and early supporter after years spent on the left, but the Macronist camp and that of the Republicans seem divided on this choice. The left-wing parties (LFI, the Greens and the Communists) are still campaigning for Lucie Castets, chosen by the NFP during the summer. The Socialist Party, led by Olivier Faure, in any case assured, Thursday, that any member participating in a government that is not left-wing would be excluded from the party, reports Le Figaro. An important position which sows even more doubt in people's minds.
