It’s time to say goodbye, but not for long. On Sunday, September 1, Thierry Beaudet leaves the Elysée Palace with two pieces of information that are not small: the president will speak on Tuesday on television; he will announce his appointment to Matignon. He gets it from the horse’s mouth, he has just seen Emmanuel Macron for the second time in forty-eight hours. He also spoke with Secretary General Alexis Kohler, whom he speaks on familiar terms.
The story is crazy, which begins with a phone call, told by Opinion. On Thursday August 29, Emmanuel Macron was in Serbia, but part of him remained in Paris, where political tension was at its peak. Some fifty days after the second round of legislative elections, France still does not have a new Prime Minister. In an instant, Thierry Beaudet’s life changes. What is the right word? He is not surprised, he is stunned, stunned, stunned. The president of Cese is asked to study the hypothesis of his arrival at rue de Varenne, at the head of the government.
Appointment is made for Friday. Thierry Beaudet, 62, a teacher by training, chaired the Mutuelle général de l’Education nationale group from July 2009 to July 2017, he also headed the National Federation of French Mutuality. In other words: he has never had a partisan political career, he has not been involved in any way in the legislative campaign, he is not the bearer of any program. The sheet is white.
Obtain guarantees
So, in the heat of the moment, he thought about a method, well aware that if the head of state was thinking of him, it was to take a step aside and avoid having a political heavyweight imposed on him. He begins by explaining to Emmanuel Macron his reading of the results: the French did not want the National Rally, of course. The most delicate thing is to follow: obviously, they sanctioned the president, but not only his person, they also said that they rejected the policies of his governments. The pension reform has left its mark.
Since civil society is in a position to make a move, it must innovate. “We need to discuss, from the PC to the Republicans”: Thierry Beaudet launches, he suggests bringing together all the parties around the same table to find an agreement on a government platform. It makes or breaks: the Prime Minister will have a fixed-term contract which could be short-lived. Storm under a skull: Thierry Beaudet stops sleeping – it is above all sleep that escapes him – and unearths useful documents, such as the programs of all the parties analyzed according to their convergences.
Since he began his presidency of Cese in May 2021, he has had the opportunity to speak on several occasions with Emmanuel Macron. His personality is therefore not unknown to him and he clearly senses in his august interlocutor the inner dilemma: yes, things must change since the voters have decided so; no, the message from the polls is confused and EPR deputies make up almost a fifth of the new Assembly. “Is it through me that you want nothing to change?” : not being a political leader exposes you to a submission trial, you must obtain guarantees.
Thierry Beaudet insists: “Do we agree that the government platform belongs to the Prime Minister and not to the President?” Emmanuel Macron rarely puts his convictions in his pocket, here he is almost as a defender of the central block which was his base during the happy years of majority, absolute or relative. The attractiveness of France, supply policy, pensions, security issues, it would be good not to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Same fate as Catherine Vautrin
When he returns to the Elysée on Sunday, a sensitive point has already been resolved. Thierry Beaudet knows the history of this presidency, he has not forgotten that Edouard Philippe had insisted on choosing his chief of staff, Benoit Ribadeau-Dumas, himself, when some of his successors at Matignon had been more flexible . He warned Emmanuel Macron: “I will choose my chief of staff.” “Are you thinking of anyone?” the president asks. Yes, Thierry Beaudet is thinking of Bertrand Gaume, 49 years old, prefect of the North and Hauts-de-France.
The discussion about people goes a long way. There is already talk of future ministers. Thierry Beaudet does not want historical Macronists who would give the impression that he is under surveillance; he wants to renew the heads – the list he is drafting includes few names that are found in the current Barnier government.
When he arrives at the Elysée on Monday at 8:45 a.m., Bernard Cazeneuve has the impression of being the joke – and that is not his favorite outfit. Since the evening before, he has known that Emmanuel Macron chose Thierry Beaudet. Later, Xavier Bertrand has a meeting. He too has known since Sunday. The name of Thierry Beaudet is not mentioned during their tête-à-tête. A little earlier, Nicolas Sarkozy had no shame in casting a spell on him, that’s not his style.
Thierry Beaudet will no longer hear from Emmanuel Macron, it will be Alexis Kohler who will call him back to name him. It’s called a Vautrin and this president is starting to have a certain practice of the exercise: in 2022, he had installed Rémoise in Matignon, even advising him to prepare the transfer of powers with the outgoing Jean Castex. Then he changed his mind, in front of his friends’ disapproval. Thierry Beaudet did not go to Matignon. This weekend, he will have the opportunity to meet Emmanuel Macron during the Francophonie Summit. This president whose French language he thought he understood for a weekend…
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