In a busy sequence, between political crisis and reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, Renaissance, Emmanuel Macron's party, passes this Sunday into the hands of Gabriel Attal. With the primary objective of “not disappearing” before the planned erasure of the president in 2027.
Incredible context. The government of Michel Barnier was censored. More than one in two French people, according to surveys, want the departure of President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron, once again looking for a tenant for Matignon. From Donald Trump to Volodymyr Zelensky, many heads of state have converged on Paris for the return to the cult and the world of the Gothic treasure of the Île de la Cité.
2027 in sight
At such a time, what place for Renaissance? This obligatory discretion suits the presidential party well. Particularly to Gabriel Attal and his teams. Determined to make this national council, this Sunday in a hotel in the Montparnasse district, an “internal” non-event.
However, it is about the takeover of the president's party by his ex-Prime Minister, not really delighted to have been swept away by the dissolution just a few months after his arrival at Matignon. It has been going on since its partition, first by seizing, despite the wishes of the Élysée, the presidency of the group in the Assembly. And now from the party, with 2027 in the sights…
The situation helps, no one at Renaissance has the heart to celebrate, at a time when Emmanuel Macron returns to the center of the political crisis – “not far from the regime crisis”, underlines Édouard Philippe –the Barnier solution developed at the Élysée having been shattered in the National Assembly. And all are linked, moreover, by their remarkable discretion on the real number of members (8,500? 10,000? 15,000?), so far from the 400,000 free registrations claimed six years ago.
The clash with Borne avoided
Emmanuel Macron who, due to the Constitution, cannot run again, therefore sees his party partly slipping away from him. Eight years after its creation, seven years after its meteoric rise to the Élysée. From ? “An empty house”, “a party born by clicking” which has “no political content” and “has never been structured”, judges a former minister harshly.
“He has always been ambiguous with the party, saying “I don’t get involved” and, at the same time, being very attentive to what is happening there,” notes a collaborator. Result, “a very organizational electoral machine”. But “without any desire, particularly from the president, to make it a place of reflection and doctrine”, supports another, present since the start of the adventure.
Weakened by the dissolution, Renaissance at least managed to avoid an internal struggle. The worst effect in the middle of a ministerial crisis. Without forgetting the accounts demanded from successive Prime Ministers on the deterioration of public finances. “I saw the bullets coming between Élisabeth (Borne) and Gabriel before the (parliamentary) commissions of inquiry, with Bruno (The Mayor) as a hostage”, illustrates, relieved, a deputy.
Patient, the ultra-favorite Gabriel Attal obtained the renunciation of Élisabeth Borne to run for the head of the party. By means of a common list and an agreement on the distribution of tendencies in the party authorities. Élisabeth Borne will accede to the presidency of the national council this Sunday, with the objective of transforming it into “a real Parliament of the party”, according to support.
Competition is organized
Gabriel Attal, who will be officially elected Secretary General this Sunday morning to succeed Stéphane Séjourné who has become European Commissioner, will give a speech at midday. He will outline some priorities and a work schedule for the year 2025. “It is the right time to show the doctrinal path he wants to take,” hopes a history of En Marche, a social-democratic trend.
The former Prime Minister, however, intends to give himself some time, particularly for the installation of the executive office, the party government. But “we cannot be the only party that does not meet, that does not express itself. And we really need to think about Renaissance's identity card, so we don't disappear. That’s the issue,” worries an executive.
In the central block, competition is organized. Édouard Philippe is already a declared candidate for the Élysée and his party, Horizons, is preparing regional meetings. A member of Renaissance, Gérald Darmanin recently launched his think tank, Populaires, and his financing association received approval from the authorities, published on Saturday in the Official Journal.
