It was perhaps his last interview as Prime Minister. Michel Barnier was the guest of France 2 and TF1 this Tuesday evening at 8 p.m. On the menu, the political instability of France, article 49.3 and the vote on the motion of censure. For around twenty minutes, the head of government, on reprieve, tried to defend his position, warning of “serious” consequences if the budget was not voted on. 20 Minutes summarizes his intervention for you.
“This is not a vote for or against Barnier”
Michel Barnier wanted to assure that government censorship was not a personal matter. “I know this is a fragile and ephemeral situation […]. The official cars, the gold of the Republic, I don't care, that's not the subject, it's not me who is in question, he assured. What is happening goes far beyond my condition. »
“It’s not a question of political survival,” he added. I arrived in this office three months ago telling myself that I could leave the next day, because the political situation is complicated. » He still recognized that the mission entrusted to him, forming a government in an Assembly without a majority bloc, was “difficult”. He also recalled that the motion of censure concerned his Social Security finance bill, and that Wednesday's session would not be “a vote for or against Barnier”.
The Prime Minister still wants to believe in the rescue
The National Rally repeated this Tuesday that it would vote on all motions of censure, including the one tabled by the New Popular Front on the left. However, Michel Barnier “wants that the motion of censure will not be voted on”. “There may be a reflex, a higher interest” of certain deputies, said the head of government. He thinks there is still a chance that his government will not be censored. As a reminder, motions of censure will be examined in the Assembly on Wednesday, from 4 p.m.
Instability, chaos and tax increases
“We must not be catastrophizing,” initially affirmed Michel Barnier, echoing the reassuring words of the president, Emmanuel Macron. The latter commented that “he [fallait] not scare people with these things” on the sidelines of his trip to Saudi Arabia.
Despite this sentence, Michel Barnier brandished several threats in the event of censorship of his government: “The impact of this political instability you will see immediately on interest rates”, “if I have to leave my place, there will be turbulence”, or even “tax increase”. “If the motion of censure passes everything will be more difficult and serious,” repeated the Prime Minister, after using this formula during questions to the government this afternoon. He thus estimated that “18 million” French people “will see their income tax increase” if the budget was not adopted. “The deputies who are going to vote tomorrow will have to explain themselves and be held accountable,” he warned again.
And after?
Michel Barnier finally seemed to be divided about the aftermath. “I want to serve,” he first assured, before tempering: “What does that mean if I fall tomorrow they find me there as if nothing had happened? », questioned the Prime Minister, suggesting that he could not imagine staying at Matignon. However, he assured that he will remain “listening to the parties' proposals on the budget”, but also on future projects.
Finally, he ruled out the hypothesis of a resignation by Emmanuel Macron – which the president himself called “political fiction”. “I think the president was elected for five years. he has popular legitimacy and he is one of the guarantors of stability,” he explained.
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