Bayrou government: who could stay, who could enter?

Will Bruno Retailleau stay at the Interior? The outgoing minister, emblematic of the Republicans, was the first political official received by the Prime Minister on Friday evening. This meeting “allowed us to begin an essential discussion on the course to take,” Franceinfo learned from those around the Vendéen.

Considering having made an impression and obtained initial results, Bruno Retailleau wishes to stay. But not under any conditions. There is no question, for example, of participating in a government that would call into question pension reform. Another key point, the possibility or not of continuing its immigration policy.

More broadly, the boss of the LR deputies, Laurent Wauquiez, conditioned the possible participation of his troops in the government on the “project” of the new Prime Minister. According to different sources, former President Nicolas Sarkozy, who spoke last Sunday with Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée, had indicated that he was opposed to the nomination of François Bayrou, who had preferred to support François Hollande against him in 2012.

• 2 Ministers who printed

Some ministers are more likely than others to stay. This is the case of Jean-Noël Barrot, at Foreign Affairs. He has two assets: being vice-president of MoDem and working in a field that requires continuity. As for Sébastien Lecornu remaining in the Armed Forces, it would come as no surprise. This very close friend of Emmanuel Macron, whose appointment to Matignon was very seriously considered, is appreciated by many soldiers, who recognize his determination to defend them.

Macronist Laurent Saint-Martin could also be reappointed. The Barnier government's “Mr. Budget” was one of the only ones to assert himself on the left in this team leaning largely to the right. “The second left, social-democratic, social-liberal, yes, I still claim to be part of it,” he proclaimed at the end of November in Le Monde. His profile therefore remains interesting for François Bayrou who will have to give as many signs as possible to the left to avoid censorship.

Maud Brégéon, spokesperson for the Barnier government, also has her chances. She didn't make a mistake for three months, in a delicate context. And the profile of this former EDF engineer fits with the pro-nuclear convictions of François Bayrou. Rachida Dati could also stay on board, at Culture.

• 3 The MoDem pool

  In addition to Jean-Noël Barrot, François Bayrou will probably draw from among MoDem executives such as Geneviève Darrieussecq, resigning Minister of Health, Marc Fesneau, former Minister of Agriculture, Marina Ferrari, resigning Minister Delegate for Tourism, or even Sarah El Haïry , former Minister for Youth. But, for the sake of balance, he will probably be careful not to give too orange a color to his government, having criticized the large number of LR ministers in the Barnier government.

• 4 Who on the left?

  The boss of the socialists, Olivier Faure, said it loud and clear. The PS “will not participate” in the Bayrou government. Constitutionalist Benjamin Morel anticipates recruitment difficulties for the new Prime Minister, who will have difficulty, according to him, expanding outside the macronie. “If you hope to have a political future, you do not want to join this government,” he explained on RMC. Michel Barnier had tried to poach Carole Delga, socialist president of the Occitanie region, and Stéphane Le Foll, former Minister of Agriculture under François Hollande. Without success.

  Will Didier Migaud, resigning Minister of Justice, remain the only left-wing figure in the government if he keeps his post? Or will personalities like former Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve or the current president of the Court of Auditors, Pierre Moscovici, take the plunge? This is one of the main questions of the coming days.

• 5 What about the Bretons?

  “I think that the Prime Minister has other concerns, for the moment, than being interested in the geographical representation of his government,” replied former Minister of Justice Jean-Jacques Urvoas, Friday evening, on Tébéo and TébéSud .

  The centrist Françoise Gatel, resigning Minister for Rural Affairs, has the profile to stay. The MoDem deputy for Morbihan, Jimmy Pahun, former skipper, is regularly cited for the Ministry of the Sea, where he could replace another Breton, the mayor of Lorient Fabrice Loher.

The deputy for Finistère, Erwan Balanant, is also one of the ministers. To the question “as a MoDem executive, have you been approached for a ministry?” “, he gave the following response to the Télégramme on Friday: “It doesn’t work like that. François Bayrou will have to create a balanced government, with people from the right, the center left and the central axis. So there isn't much room, and this is not the time to think about my personal case. I know people talk about it, and yes, it can happen. If François Bayrou asks me to take responsibility, I will take them. »