Emmanuel Macron appointed François Bayrou to Matignon this Friday, December 13. A Prime Minister who would have imposed himself, more than he would have been chosen…
Emmanuel Macron finally decided to appoint François Bayrou as new Prime Minister to replace Michel Barnier, this Friday, December 13, 2024. A hypothesis mentioned very early among the favorite options, but which took time before being acted upon. The time for consultations with political forces first, then the time for Emmanuel Macron's hesitation. Because the President of the Republic did not intend to appoint the boss of MoDem as head of the future government when he woke up this Friday. On the contrary, he intended to announce to the mayor of Pau that he was once again rejected at the gates of Matignon. A message which was passed to the person concerned by a resigning minister at 5 a.m. reports France Televisions.
A choice which aroused the anger of the Democrat who firmly believed in his chances of being nominated. François Bayrou, who has become a close adviser and a long-time ally of Emmanuel Macron, was systematically cited as an option for Matignon during the reshuffles of the second five-year term of the Head of State, without ever being named. At a time of a political crisis caused by the dissolution of last June, François Bayrou finally saw the possibility of landing at Matignon. “He will never appoint me, unless it is in exceptional circumstances,” he anticipated six months ago according to The Parisian.
A meeting therefore took place at the Elysée between Emmanuel Macron and François Bayrou. From 8:30 a.m. and for 1 hour 45 minutes, the tone rose between the two men, the boss of MoDem castigating the idea of having priority overtaken by another – Roland Lescure and Sébastien Lecornu were cited. François Bayrou established himself as the best choice, as he had previously done before parliamentarians: “I am the biggest denominator for discussing with the left and the right.” He also threatened the head of state of no longer being the important support he has been in recent years according to The Parisian which quotes witnesses to the exchange: “He threatened to blow up the majority if it wasn't him.” Arguments to which Emmanuel Macron ended up giving in, two hours after the end of his meeting with François Bayrou.
The appointment of Bayrou long avoided by Macron
The new Prime Minister is therefore not Emmanuel Macron's first choice, in any case it is not a choice that the President of the Republic made with a smile. If he had wanted, the Head of State could have offered Matignon to François Bayrou several days ago, the positions of the different parties having not changed in recent hours. He could also have done it months ago: in September in place of Michel Barnier, in January in place of Gabriel Attal and even before.
But the head of state has always preferred someone else and for good reason, Emmanuel Macron has tended to appoint people who cannot overshadow him or are content to apply his policies. A scenario that is difficult to imagine with a personality like François Bayrou at Matignon. The boss of the MoDem, although an ally of the Head of State since 2017, has never held back from criticizing presidential policy when it did not suit him: the reform of the ISF, the increase in the CSG for retirees or even pension reform are all examples. an independence which could eclipse Emmanuel Macron for these last years at the Elysée before 2027 and at a time when the head of state sees his popularity at half mast.
Note François Bayrou was even more critical of Emmanuel Macron before joining him in 2017. Before concluding an alliance, under certain conditions, and supporting the current head of state, the boss of MoDem described the young politician as representatives of “big financial interests […] incompatible with the impartiality required by the political function” and “who are not content with having economic power, but who want to have political power” remembers Le Figaro. And the centrist for reproaching Emmanuel at the time for speeches without “much substance” and making “promises to everyone” recalls Public Senate.
