Thierry Beaudet is one of the very serious hypotheses for Matignon. He has already given his agreement to Emmanuel Macron to be appointed Prime Minister according to l’Opinion.
A name pulled out of a hat in the last days, or even hours, before the appointment of the Prime Minister. Thierry Beaudet, the current president of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE), is on the list of names studied by Emmanuel Macron to become the future Prime Minister. He is added to the list as the noose seemed to have tightened around two hypotheses on Monday, September 2: that of Bernard Cazeneuve, presented as the most serious, and that of Xavier Bertrand. The head of the CESE has a profile that is clearly more technical than political, unlike the two other candidates for Matignon, and this would be one of the reasons that would push Emmanuel Macron to look into his case.
Although the option of appointing Thierry Beaudet to Matignon has only been mentioned in the press since Monday, the man was reportedly contacted by the President of the Republic last week according to information from Opinion. More than just an exchange, the president of the EESC was reportedly offered the post of Prime Minister and gave his agreement to Emmanuel Macron, still according to the newspaper. Thierry Beaudet’s name now seems to be the leading candidate, but no official nomination has yet taken place. This could happen “by Wednesday” according to the confidences of a close friend of Emmanuel Macron to Release.
An ideal profile according to Macron’s criteria
Thierry Beaudet has a successful career in the mutual sector behind him. He chaired the Fédération nationale de la mutualité française (FNMF) between 2016 and 2021 after having been at the head of the Mutuelle générale de l’Education nationale (MGEN) group for eight years, from 2009 to 2017. Climbing the ranks, he founded and established himself as president of the mutualist union VYX, which brings together several mutualist and social and solidarity economy players, including MGEN, from 2017 to 2021. Having reached the top, Thierry Beaudet gave up a new mandate in 2021 due to his election as head of the EESC the same year.
Having become president of the EESC for a five-year term, from 2021 to 2026, Thierry Beaudet was already familiar with the institution, having served there for a first term between 2010 and 2015. A trained teacher and community activist, the 62-year-old native of Orne has a flawless career.
Thierry Beaudet’s profile ticks several boxes on the list of criteria established by Emmanuel Macron for choosing a Prime Minister: he knows French institutions to be at the head of the third French constitutional assembly, the one composed of social representatives and having a consultative function, he comes from civil society and is not deeply marked in the political landscape, but his function and his career in the mutualist sector reflect rather social-democratic commitments.
In summary, Thierry Beaudet seems to be able to seduce the left, at least a part of the moderate left that Emmanuel Macron wants to include in a coalition, without attracting the wrath of the right and the far right. The chances that he will resist a motion of censure therefore exist, even if given the positions of the forces of the NFP and the far right, no guarantee is possible.