For the past 24 hours, the composition of Michel Barnier’s first government has taken on the appearance of a headache. If since his appointment the former chief Brexit negotiator has displayed perfect understanding with his original political family, Les Républicains, His relations with the leaders of the Macron camp have clearly deteriorated in recent hours.The cause? The architecture of his government team, which allocates most of the key positions to leading Republicans and leaves “only crumbs” to the former presidential majority.
According to our information, during a one-on-one meeting with Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, September 17, the Prime Minister gave him an initial list of names. Thus, Michel Barnier would consider appointing Laurent Wauquiez at the head of a large Ministry of the Economy at Bercy, Bruno Retailleau at the Ministry of the Interior, as well as the Secretary General of the Republicans, Annie Genevard, MP for Doubs, Minister of Agriculture. The LR personalities alone would grab almost half of the portfolios, while the former majority would have to share the rest. “It’s the multiplication of the loaves. With 47 deputies, they think they can make 289.”grumbles a Macronist executive, recalling that the Ensemble pour la République group alone has “nearly double the number of deputies” as that of the Republican Right.
A “monocolor” government
At the Élysée, Emmanuel Macron also did not appreciate this “monochromatic” government, according to one of his interlocutors.recalling in passing the line set at the time of Michel Barnier’s appointment: “Go as close as possible to national unity and respect the balances”. “On this point, apart from LR, no one is served”, comments a leading figure in the presidential camp.
According to our information, Michel Barnier is considering keeping four outgoing ministers from the current government team: Rachida Dati (Culture), Catherine Vautrin (Work and Health), Sébastien Lecornu (Army) and Sarah El Hairy (Youth)… Four profiles who have cut their teeth… with the Republicans or the UMP. “All this is done in a very opaque manner,” complains a regular interlocutor of Michel Barnier. In detail, François Bayrou’s MoDem would only keep two ministerial posts (compared to three today), two for Horizons, the party of Edouard Philippe and only one for the centrists of the UDI, a new ally of the presidential camp.
Attal-Barnier meeting cancelled
On the substance too, the former majority and the new Prime Minister are struggling to agree. While he had set the tone upon his appointment, promising “more tax justice”, the rumour of a tax increase, spread by Gérald Darmanin during the weekly meeting of the Ensemble pour la République deputies this Tuesday, has electrified the discussions. While he was due to receive a delegation of Renaissance deputies, led by Gabriel Attal, at Matignon this Wednesday, the meeting was cancelled at the last minute. “Gabriel Attal planned to arrive with a delegation that would not allow for efficiency and fairness compared to other political parties,” commented the Prime Minister’s entourage.
Behind the scenes, those close to the former tenant of Matignon qualify the official version: “We had proposed to reduce the size of the delegation,” explains Gabriel Attal’s entourage. Another puts forward another explanation: “Michel Barnier was furious with Gérald Darmanin’s attitude and did not want to see him in the delegation”slips a friend of the Minister of the Interior. This Wednesday evening, a meeting planned with the executives of the Republicans and the Prime Minister was cancelled, without giving further explanation.
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