The brand new Minister of Economy has just provoked the first controversy since the formation of the Barnier government. Antoine Armand’s remarks on the National Rally not belonging to the Republican arc, made on France Inter on September 24, earned him a reprimand from Matignon.
2 min
In Francethis is the first « quack ” within the new government. It was Antoine Armand, the young Minister of the Economy, who provoked it by stigmatizing the National Rally in defiance of the instructions issued by the Prime Minister, Michel Barnierfrom the first meeting of the government: to have “ respect ” towards all political forces.
On France Inter, on the morning show of Tuesday, September 24, the new Minister of the Economy, the Macronist, first recalled that many deputies had been elected thanks to the ” republican front ” against the far-right party in the legislative elections. In this regard, he said he was open to collaborate with all parties” in the republican arc “. ” We should not start by saying with whom we will never work as long as he is in the republican arc. That means that the National Rally does not belong there. “.
Immediate reaction from Marine Le Pen
In the corridors of the Palais Bourbon, the reaction of Marine Le Penwho claims to want to ” weigh ” on the Barnier government, was not long in coming. Addressing the head of government directly, she raised her voice. ” When I hear Antoine Armand this morning explaining that his door will always be closed to RN MPs even though we only have the budget coming in, I think that the Prime Minister must go and explain to all of his ministers what his government’s philosophy is, because it seems that some have not yet fully understood. ” she squeaked.
The Matignon tenant then contacted the head of the Le Penist deputies to ” rectify “, according to the leader of the Union of the Right for the Republic group Eric Ciotti, an ally of the RN. A bomb disposal phone call confirmed by a source within the fiery party. The entourage of the head of government announced that the latter had called his minister to repeat ” the rules set “, “ namely respect for voters and respect for political leaders represented in the National Assembly and the Senate “.
A reminder of the order accompanied by a backpedaling. Bercy announced in the process that Antoine Armand would indeed receive ” all political forces represented in Parliament ” on the very degraded situation of public finances. No question of giving arguments from the outset to the RN which holds the keys to a motion of censure.
Also readFrance: “The new government has little room for maneuver in public opinion and in Parliament”