Michel Barnier’s few connections with the RN on immigration could push the left wing of Macron’s party to disassociate itself. At the same time, this Monday, the Prime Minister continues his consultations.
The essentials
- After his appointment, Michel Barnier continues his consultations to form his future government, Monday, September 9. The new Prime Minister is receiving representatives of the Liot group, today at 3 p.m. This Sunday, Edouard Philippe (Horizons) and François Bayrou (MoDem), were received at Matignon.
- The Prime Minister “seems to have the same view on immigration as we do,” said Marine Le Pen in an interview with the Sunday TribuneOn TF1 on Friday evening, Michel Barnier declared that controlling migratory flows was one of his priorities.
- For his part, the resigning minister Roland Lescure stated that he would not “automatically” give his confidence to Michel Barnier, in an interview with Libération on Monday. “I will be vigilant to ensure that we do not succumb to purchases from the RN program (…) If we have to go and pick from the RN program, it will be without me,” warns this figure from the left wing of the camp. Macron.
Live
10:11 – END OF LIVE
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09:34 – Representatives of the Liot group received at 3 p.m. by Michel Barnier
After receiving Edouard Philippe (Horizons) and François Bayrou on Sunday, Michel Barnier will continue his consultations on Monday 9 September in order to form his government. The Prime Minister will receive representatives of the Liot group of deputies at Matignon around 3pm.
09:15 – “We’re giving him a chance to change course,” says Sébastien Chenu (RN)
For its part, the RN has decided to give Michel Barnier a chance, even though he is not part of the National Rally. His remarks on immigration and his proposal for a moratorium, three years ago, have clearly won over members of the Le Pen party, who are unlikely to censor him, at least at the beginning of his term.
“To avoid being censored, Michel Barnier will have to go beyond words, he will have to tell us what he intends to do (…) He may be censored on his budget, or a certain number of texts on immigration, the purchasing power of the French”. On the other hand, “we are giving him the chance to change course, to show us that he is capable of changing software”, explains RN MP Sébastien Chenu, this Monday on Public Sénat.
09:04 – “If we have to dip into the RN program, it will be without me,” warns Roland Lescure
In an interview with the daily newspaper Libération on Monday, the resigning minister Roland Lescure indicated that he would not automatically give his confidence to a Barnier government, particularly if certain red lines dedicated to immigration were crossed. My confidence will not be automatic. I am clear about my red lines,” he said.
“Let’s preserve economic immigration, let’s preserve AME (…) I will be vigilant to ensure that we do not succumb to purchases from the RN program (…) If we have to dip into the RN program, it will be without me,” he said.
Learn more
Michel Barnier was appointed Prime Minister on Thursday, September 5. In the columns of OpinionWednesday, September 4, the name of the former European Union negotiator of the Brexit conditions and candidate for the right-wing primary for the 2022 presidential election, who at the time intended to “bring together the right, the center and others”, had appeared as the best option. Minister under Balladur, Juppé and Fillon, deputy of Savoie, senator or even European deputy, the native of La Tronche, near Grenoble (Isère), now aged 73, presents a political CV that is, to say the least, well filled.
Can Michel Barnier escape a motion of censure?
The former Brexit negotiator should, like the others, be censored by all the deputies of the New Popular Front. “Barnier is a right-wing policy. The issue is no longer even the casting, but the line. Macron must now assume what he wants as a coalition in Parliament,” reacted the socialist Pierre Jouvet to the capital’s daily newspaper on Wednesday evening. The line within the left has been quite clear since the results of the legislative elections: any government with a different orientation than theirs will be censored. If hesitations can divide the alliance of the New Popular Front on a few center-left profiles mentioned for Matignon, there is no doubt about a censorship of the PS, ecologist, LFI and PCF deputies against an LR personality.
Michel Barnier could, however, govern if he is not censured by the National Rally deputies. This is in reality the decisive factor for a right-wing personality to be appointed to Matignon, given the weakness of the Macronist bloc and the refusal of the left-wing bloc to participate in a coalition with the Macronists: only an implicit agreement from Marine Le Pen can allow an LR Prime Minister to remain at the head of a government. According to the first statements by RN personalities on Thursday, September 5, it is unlikely that the RN will not vote for a motion of censure against Michel Barnier.