The scenario and the timetable are becoming clearer: Emmanuel Macron will accept that the Prime Minister resigns very quickly. But the government team should remain in place to manage “current affairs”.
Gabriel Attal’s future at Matignon is decided: the youngest Prime Minister of the Fifth Republic will be replaced by a person who will have to form a new government. According to Emmanuel Macron’s wishes, the person who succeeds Gabriel Attal will have to have the support of at least 289 deputies from the “republican political forces”, who will agree to “build a broad rally” that would exclude LFI and the RN. That’s the first outline of the plan. Needless to say, it will take time.
But it is institutionally impossible for Gabriel Attal not to resign before this majority between the political parties – which for the moment have no intention of governing together – reach an agreement. On July 18, all elected deputies will sit: they will be able to launch an initiative to file a motion of censure and bring down the government.
Without even considering this prospect, the Prime Minister intends to resign before this date. Why? Because Gabriel Attal, elected in his constituency, wants to sit as a deputy and lead the Renaissance group. Furthermore, the other elected ministers also intend to benefit from their parliamentary mandate. And everything will have to be clear on July 18, the first day of the legislature, and the deputies will have to be duly registered in the Assembly before this date. On that day, the elected representatives must also vote for the presidency of the National Assembly and each vote will count. The deputies from the center are also numerous in vying for high-stakes positions within the Palais Bourbon: the vice-presidencies, the positions of quaestors and committee presidents.
In order for the elected or re-elected ministers to be able to engage in these decisive votes and distributions, the government must resign before July 18. And this will be done, according to information from Politicowhich is based on the confidences of Emmanuel Moulin, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, made to the chief of staff other ministries. The media outlet thus advances: “Emmanuel Macron should logically accept the resignation of Gabriel Attal no later than July 17, that is, Wednesday.”
But be careful, this resignation will not mean that the tenant of Matignon and all the ministers will leave their office. No. The scenario put forward by the president himself, in his letter, in the course of a sentence, is indeed that of a “resigning” government.
The government and its Prime Minister would therefore still be in office, but without their prerogatives and ability to initiate any reform. This government would manage “current affairs” without taking measures with a budgetary impact and without being able to introduce bills. And Emmanuel Macron would intend to be content with this government until “the gathering of political forces that recognize themselves in republican principles” takes place. And for this one, there is no deadline.