Government, pensions, Macron… What to remember from François Bayrou’s interview on France 2

And now ? After receiving this Thursday the leaders of the political forces in Matignon, with the exception of those of LFI and the RN, François Bayrou seems to have reached an impasse. While the Prime Minister made his interlocutors a “public offer of participation” to the government, setting Friday afternoon as the ultimatum to respond, the latter were not really delighted with the proposal.

If he gave pledges to the left, both on the excessive use of 49.3 and on the pension reform adopted in 2023, it refused to grasp the outstretched hand of the Béarnais and still leaves the threat of a censorship. The right always sets its conditions for participating in government. Problem, the clock is ticking: the boss of MoDem hopes to build his team “before Christmas”.

A political puzzle, but also soon a budgetary one, for which François Bayrou has still not found the solution a week after his appointment. Despite the series of official or more informal interviews he has conducted since Monday. To present the ins and outs of the equation, the Prime Minister was the guest Thursday evening on the program “L’Évènement” on France 2. Le Figaro summarizes what to remember from his first television intervention.

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A government presented “over the weekend”

Three weeks after the fall against Michel Barnier, overthrown by a motion of censure passed “by different and antagonistic forces”François Bayrou hopes to present his government “during the weekend”. “In any case, before Christmas, Tuesday evening”he clarified immediately. Faced with the absence of a budget, rejected by the Assembly at the beginning of December, and“organization of the majority”the Prime Minister launched an appeal to the political parties: “We can’t get through this if we’re not together.”

“We have to try, we can do it. The path exists,” insisted the Béarnais against “all the forecasters, the political scientists”Who “speculate on chaos”. And to hold political parties accountable in the event of failure: “What awaits us is so difficult that we must join forces (…) If we do not succeed in this test, then it is the last station before the cliff.”

“No 49.3 unless there is an absolute blockage on the budget”

As a way of reaching out to part of the left, François Bayrou promised not to resort to the strong approach of 49.3 in the Assembly “unless there is an absolute blockage on the budget”. “I want as much dialogue as possible. On the other texts, I will not use 49.3, unless there is a huge catastrophe.he added. Way of not depriving yourself of a constitutional tool in the absence of a clear majority in the Assembly since the legislative elections.

Enough to convince the socialists to be part of the adventure? “They have a discussion among themselves. They don’t want to be assimilated, to say that they have changed sides”he retorted.

Retirements: Bayrou “believes” in another possibility than postponing the age to 64

A stinging point for the New Popular Front (NFP), the controversial pension reform, which gradually raises the retirement age from 62 to 64, returned this Thursday in discussions between François Bayrou and the leaders of the political parties. With the hope of concluding a non-censorship agreement with part of the left – the socialists want a freeze on reform – the Prime Minister suggested “resume without suspend” l’update of 2023. And this, in order to reopen a discussion during “nine months” with social partners and political forces.

Thursday evening, the mayor of Pau (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) said “believe” in another possibility than the postponement of the age fixed in the law. “I was an activist for points retirement”he justified while former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe had launched a reform in this direction at the end of 2019 before the health crisis overcame its adoption in March 2020. “I accept that we reopen all subjects (et) that each union puts on the table what it considers desirable and acceptable,” said the Prime Minister. Assuring that it is a “open door in good faith” towards the left.

Budget: Bayrou hopes for adoption in mid-February

What are the consequences for the budget? If a “special law” was adopted this week authorizing the executive to levy taxes and borrow to finance the State and Social Security, the Prime Minister promises “a plan to rebalance our public finances” early 2025. Objective: a return to balance within ten years. After the appointment of the government, he hopes for adoption of the finance bill “mid-February”resuming “the copy that was voted on” in Parliament.

François Bayrou may want “save money” like his predecessor Michel Barnier, he judges that“we can find a balance that is acceptable, sustainable or admissible.” “We need contribution taxes, everyone must help in solidarity,” he elaborated.

Bayrou wants Retailleau to stay in government

While the government is being formed, François Bayrou said he would like the resigning Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau to remain in his team. “He has shown in recent weeks and months that he has found directions that respond” what the French expect, argued the Prime Minister.

What about LR’s participation? The centrist leader asks “support from the Republican right” but also “of the democratic left and government”. “I would be happy if we can show that these different sensibilities combine,” he explained.

Nomination of Bayrou: “NWe had a discussion…”

Asked about the conditions of his appointment at the end of a standoff, reported to be muscular, between him and Emmanuel Macron, François Bayrou brushed aside this story with the back of his hand. “There are people who love to invent, to create, to make mountains fight…” he evacuated. According to him, the president “hesitated, and we had a discussion during which I showed him that we had to do things differently,” he simply stated.

Bayrou says he felt “pain” for Sarkozy after his conviction by the courts

While the former President of the Republic Nicolas Sarkozy was definitively sentenced on Wednesday to one year in prison under an electronic bracelet for corruption and influence peddling in the so-called wiretapping affair «Bismuth»Prime Minister François Bayrou, the bête noire of the former right-wing strongman, says he had some “penalty” towards his former adversary and “his own”.

“I know what it’s like to find yourself before the apparatus of justice and I can’t erase that feeling.” confided the Prime Minister, who was himself acquitted in February in the affair of the assistants of MEPs from his MoDem party in the European Parliament.

Mayotte: Bayrou calls for rapid reconstruction, “perhaps” in “two years”

François Bayrou hoped that the reconstruction of Mayotte, devastated by a powerful cyclone, could be done within a timely manner.brief», “maybe two years”a task that will be “superhuman». “I think we need to set a much shorter deadline than five years” of the reconstruction of Notre-Dame, a comparison made by Emmanuel Macron from Mayotte.