MACRON. In the absence of an absolute majority in the Assembly, Emmanuel Macron spoke with the leaders of the political parties. The idea of a government of national unity has been mentioned but no force seems to support it.
Look for a legislative result near you
[Mis à jour le 22 juin 2022 à 20h54] The representatives of the political forces of the Assembly paraded at the Elysée. On June 21 and 22, Emmanuel Macron held a series of meetings with the leaders of the allied and opposing parties in an attempt to achieve “political overcoming” and above all to find a way to carry out his main reforms. A period of negotiations, obliged or almost, after the failure of the legislative elections which deprived Emmanuel Macron of an absolute majority in the Assembly. But facing the wall, the head of state seemed inspired since according to the communist Fabien Roussel and the frontist Marine Le Pen, he suggested the constitution of a “government of national unity”. Only a twist, this Tuesday evening in a televised speech, Emmanuel Macron presented the situation differently: “Most of the leaders I have received have ruled out the hypothesis of a government of national unity. A hypothesis which does not is, moreover, in my view, not justified to date”. But then where would the proposal come from?
Anyway, the project does not seem to convince. The leaders of PCF and RN as well as Adrien Quatennens have already indicated that they refuse to take this form of cooperation. Marine Le Pen deemed it “unjustified” and the rebellious deputy from the North indicated on leaving the Elysee Palace on Wednesday: “We are not candidates for any scheme or participation in the government.” Conversely, the boss of the MoDem and ally of Emmanuel Macron, François Bayrou, invited the head of state to move towards “national union”.
After the series of consultations and Emmanuel Macron’s speech, nothing seems to have changed. The forces of the Assembly more or less maintain their positions. Some have seen in these events a strategy of the presidential majority to weaken the counter-power, others see it as a sign that Emmanuel Macron has understood the message sent by voters during the June 19 election. And as if wanting to prove them right, the Head of State assured that he took into account the results of the legislative elections and called for “political overtaking” in the National Assembly.
The Republicans, a constructive opposition to Macron?
The boss of the Republicans, Christian Jacob, opened the ball of consultations at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 21. An expected discussion because the right has asserted its place in the opposition when it was seen as the reserve vote for the presidential majority in the Assembly. At the end of the meeting with Emmanuel Macron, the Republican confirmed his position: “There is no question of a pact with the government, nor of a coalition”. On the other hand, Christian Jacob assured the President of the Republic that the LR group would not be “in the blockage” in the National Assembly but that it would not “betray [ses] voters” either as the reminder the Figaro. Emmanuel Macron was also warned against attempts to reach an agreement on a case-by-case basis with the elected representatives of the right because in the eyes of the Republican “new poaching [seraient] experienced by LR as an additional provocation and that this would generate tension in the group in the National Assembly”. A warning followed by a demand: to take parliamentarians more into account.
François Bayrou invites Emmanuel Macron to national unity?
Faithful ally of Emmanuel Macron, François Bayrou does not however forget that he is the boss of the MoDem and that as such he hopes to weigh more heavily in the presidential majority than during the previous five-year term. He too seems to have been irritated by the solitary governance of the Head of State and now calls on him to open up debate and discussion with the other forces, within the majority but also with the opposition. A scenario which, even if it does not delight Emmanuel Macron, is essential with a relative majority at the Palais Bourbon. Emmanuel Macron must “get as close as possible to national unity” according to the boss of the MoDem. “It is by working together as much as possible in respectful, open debates – even if they are hot – that we will basically do what the citizens expect of us”, added the centrist at the exit of the Elysée with theAFP.
Olivier Faure and the PS, “willing” to move forward but still skeptical?
“Jupiter, it’s over”. Olivier Faure wanted to set the tone during his interview with Emmanuel Macron, making him understand the need to take the opposition into account. According to the socialist, the head of state agreed before continuing the discussion. In the opposition and members of the Nupes, the Socialists remain “willing to move forward” with the government only if the latter takes measures in accordance with the program of the PS, in particular in terms of purchasing power with, for example, an increase in the Smic, measure dear to the hearts of socialists. Olivier Faure has made himself heard and sees a kind of awareness of Emmanuel Macron after the result of the legislative elections, but he does not advance on what will come out of this consultation, even questioning his sincerity vis-à-vis the journalists of I’AFP : “Is it only a staging? We will know in the next few days”.
Emmanuel Macron also discusses with Marine Le Pen and the RN?
The leader of the National Rally, Marine Le Pen, was also invited to the Elysée on June 21. She intends to play her role of opposition against Emmanuel Macron as promised during the legislative campaign but explained to the Head of State not to be “in the systematic obstruction” of politics. “If measures go in the right direction, we will vote for them […]if they go the wrong way, we will amend them, and if they are not amended as we wish, we will oppose them”, she slipped to theAFP recalling in passing his firm opposition to the pension reform.
If it is difficult to envisage cooperation between Macron and the far right, despite the recent appeals from the foot of Eric Dupond-Moretti and Céline Calvez to the far right at the start of the week, the government “of union national” could also concern the RN. During the interview, Emmanuel Macron spoke about the project in front of Marine Le Pen according to the declarations of the deputy still at theAFP. A door opened and immediately closed by the figure of the National Rally who thinks that “the situation does not justify” a government of popular union.
Emmanuel Macron and Fabien Roussel, ready to work in a “social union government”?
Last guest of the first day of consultation of Emmanuel Macron, Fabien Roussel is also the one who was the first to share and on LCI of the “social union government” project that the Head of State “envisages”. According to the communist, the head of state justifies his proposal by looking for “ways to get out of the political situation” in the National Assembly. “He is considering either the constitution of a government of national unity, if there were the parties to participate in it” or “to seek support on a case-by-case basis”, specified the leader of the PCF on the chain of continuous information on the evening of June 21. If he expanded on the proposals of Emmanuel Macron, Fabien Roussel also explained that he refused to take part in this union, retorting: “There is such a climate of mistrust against you that it is not possible. It wouldn’t be understood.”
Emmanuel Macron wonders about the maintenance of Elisabeth Borne?
According to certain statements by the politicians consulted, Emmanuel Macron would also have taken the temperature with his allies and his opponents on the maintenance of Elisabeth Borne as Prime Minister. Does the Head of State have doubts about the ability of his current right arm to federate? Or is he looking for confirmation on whether or not the former Minister of Labor will be reappointed to Matignon? Impossible to know what all the political leaders answered but François Bayrou gave him his opinion in the media. The boss of the MoDem judges that Elisabeth Borne is not “political” enough to deal with the current situation, a position which seems rather to plead for a replacement of the tenant of Matignon. LR Christian Jacob did not get wet and he recognizes it. “If I tell you she’s not suitable, I also have to tell you who to put in her place, but that’s your responsibility, so let’s not waste time on that,” he told Emmanuel Macron according to his own words. As for the communist Fabien Roussel, questions about the Prime Minister should not relate to personality but to actions: “The subject is not[est] not the person, […] it’s the measurements that are important.”
LFI, EELV and Horizons, the latest consultations
This Wednesday, June 22, Emmanuel Macron ends the tour of consultations with the leaders of political parties. If the majority of the discussions took place the day before, the Head of State was still to discuss with the representatives of insubordinate France, Adrien Quatennes and Mathilde Panot, but also with the ecologist Julien Bayou and his former Prime Minister and boss of ‘Horizons, Edouard Philippe, to whom we lend great ambitions.