François Bayrou is still working on the composition of his government this Wednesday, December 18, almost a week after being named Prime Minister. Left, center or right? Here’s what we know about the favorites for the different positions.
The list of ministers should be known this week. Appointed Prime Minister on Friday December 13, François Bayrou said he “hoped” to form his government in the coming days. Consultations will continue this Wednesday, December 18. The objective: to find a composition which will not be censored from January by the National Assembly.
To be part of the Bayrou I Government, the criteria are relatively simple. The Prime Minister wants a team of “heavyweights” with “experienced personalities at the helm”, BFMTV learned from several sources.
According to our information, François Bayrou spoke of a balance by “thirds”, with a third of the government coming from the right, a third from the center and a third… from the left. Which could cause turmoil within the Republicans.
The government system could, however, be “tightened”. As provided for in the Constitution, it is the President of the Republic who will appoint, under the proposal of François Bayrou, the members of the government. Emmanuel Macron will therefore ultimately have the last word.
• Those who could stay
Bruno Retailleauresigned Minister of the Interior, could remain in his post at Place Beauvau. He was the first member of the executive to be received by François Bayrou last Friday, just a few hours after the handover of power with Michel Barnier.
Rachida Dataresigning Minister of Culture and mayor of the 7th arrondissement of Paris, should also keep his portfolio. According to our information, she benefits from support at the Élysée and among the Sarkozysts.
Sébastien Lecornu is in more difficulty, but he could remain Minister of the Armed Forces. He was expected a few days ago for Matignon. “François Bayrou would have liked to part with it. But it is the reserved domain of the President of the Republic. He will not make a tragedy of it,” summarizes a government source at BFMTV.
Jean-Noel Barrotresigned Minister of Foreign Affairs, is close to François Bayrou. “He has worked a lot for three months, he hopes to stay,” pleads one of his supporters to BFMTV. But the former MoDem deputy could pay the price for the entry of a “tenor” who would target the Quai d’Orsay.
• Those who could return
And in particular Gérald Darmanin. The former interior minister secretly campaigning to become the future voice of French diplomacy. “He understood that his position outside the government was not favorable to him for the future and his personal ambitions. He is much less audible today, and he knows it,” a member of the presidential camp explains to BFMTV.
Coming from the right, Xavier Bertrand could also make a return to business. The former Minister of Health would be tempted by a social ministry and would have spoken with François Bayrou in recent days, indicates one of his relatives.
But his possible appointment could create tensions with the National Rally: the president of Hauts-de-France has long opposed the far-right party over the past ten years. At the beginning of September, Marine Le Pen had also promised to censor a government which would have been led by the former candidate for the presidential election.
He also minister at the beginning of the century (for Foreign Affairs from 1997 to 2002), Pierre Moscovici sees his name circulating to join the Bayrou government. His mandate as first president of the Court of Auditors ends very soon. And he spoke this weekend with the Prime Minister.
“The Prime Minister asked me to come, I came,” he simply commented. But no clue about the ministry he could inherit… if he really were to enter government.
Finally, still from the left, the former socialist minister of Labor and ex-mayor of Dijon François Rebsamen spoke with François Bayrou. But he has reservations, particularly on the policy that the future government would choose in terms of immigration management, according to our information.
• Those who could go out
Several ministers appointed under Michel Barnier’s proposal by Emmanuel Macron in mid-September could for their part leave the government. This is the case of the Minister of National Education, Anne Genetetwhose fate seems sealed, even if support at the Élysée or at Gabriel Attal could save it.
“François Bayrou (who himself held this position in the 1990s, Editor’s note) quickly began looking for a successor,” a government source confided to BFMTV.
If Anne Genetet is not reappointed, the teachers will therefore have seen, in the calendar year 2024, five ministers of National Education. Gabriel Attal, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, Nicole Belloubet, Anne Genetet and therefore his possible successor, whose name is not known at this stage.
Laurent Saint-Martinresponsible for the Budget and Public Accounts and who has become a symbol of the Barnier budget, the cause of the motion of censure, should also not be renewed. “Even though he paid personally, I don’t see how he can separate himself from the image of Mr. Budget-abortive that sticks to his skin,” whispers an executive from the presidential camp on BFMTV.
The political department of BFMTV, with Ariel Guez
