Emmanuel Macron will accept that the Prime Minister resigns before July 18: Gabriel Attal will become a deputy, but will have several roles in the service of the president.
Emmanuel Macron finally has his roadmap for the coming weeks. According to information gathered by several political media outlets, including Politico, Le Monde and BFMTV, the president did not at all appreciate the way ministers have expressed themselves in the media in recent days and called on the entire government to “loyalty” and “rally” at the end of last week, at a time when all the bigwigs of Macronie are considering their own scenarios for the coming years and for 2027.
The head of state is still the one who decides on the major maneuvers, the schedule and the future of the executive. That of Gabriel Attal at Matignon is also 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 gathering” that would exclude LFI and the RN. That’s the first outline of the plan. Needless to say, it will take time, a lot of time.
However, it is institutionally impossible for Gabriel Attal not to resign before this majority between the political parties – which currently 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.
A resignation on July 16 or 17
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, he was also elected president of the Renaissance group in the Assembly. In addition, 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 for the deputies 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: 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.”
According to information from France Info, this resignation of Gabriel Attal should take place on Tuesday, July 16, just after the council of ministers held on that date. Le Monde writes for its part that the resignation of the Prime Minister will be accepted by the head of state on Wednesday, July 17.
Who will be Prime Minister after the resignation of Gabriel Attal?
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. And Emmanuel Macron has already decided who will be at Matignon after Gabriel Attal’s resignation: it will be Gabriel Attal himself, even if he will no longer be full Prime Minister.
The government and its Prime Minister will therefore still be in office, but without their prerogatives and ability to initiate any reforms. This government would manage “current affairs” without taking measures with a budgetary impact and without being able to introduce bills.
And Emmanuel Macron would like to be satisfied 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. According to information from Le Monde, the President of the Republic intends to keep the current government “at least during the Olympic Games, and why not until the opening of the next ordinary session, on October 1st.”