Emmanuel Macron is testing names to replace Michel Barnier at Matignon

Traveling to Saudi Arabia since Monday, December 2, the President of the Republic continues to follow French political news. According to his entourage, while censorship threatens Michel Barnier, the head of state relies on the National Assembly. But, according to information from BFMTV, he is testing new names for Matignon.

Emmanuel Macron is far from France where political news accelerated this Monday, December 2 when Michel Barnier used 49.3 to adopt the 2025 Social Security budget. But the President of the Republic continues to follow internal politics.

The tenant of the Élysée said “several times that he wanted stability”, a close friend of Emmanuel Macron reminded BFMTV. “It is in the hands of the National Assembly,” he continued.

Emmanuel Macron is looking for a successor to Michel Barnier

The National Rally and La France insoumise each tabled a motion of censure this Monday which could lead to the fall of Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his government as early as this week. The far right has announced, through Marine Le Pen, that it will vote for motions of censure “wherever they come from”, including the left.

In this context, as BFMTV learned from consistent sources, the Head of State began, last week, to test names to succeed Michel Barnier at Matignon. In particular, he organized physical and telephone meetings with different contacts.

The head of state “does not see the solution on the left”

Emmanuel Macron also questioned several relatives about the timing to adopt, to know when to appoint his new head of government. A number of them called for a quick appointment.

According to several corroborating sources at BFMTV, Emmanuel Macron is not leaning towards appointing a left-wing Prime Minister, capable of keeping the Republicans within the common governmental base.

“Even Bernard Cazeneuve, I'm not sure that it wouldn't cause the loss of part of the Republican Right”, estimates another source, before specifying: “it could perhaps have worked in September, there, I doubt”. “He doesn’t see the solution on the left” confides another close friend of the head of state to BFMTV.