Jordan Bardella has again reiterated his wish to be appointed Prime Minister at the end of the legislative elections after the publication of the results of the first round. The president of the National Rally is refining his ministerial team.
Jordan Bardella has taken another step towards Matignon as the National Rally came out on top in the first round of the legislative elections. But the Le Pen party must confirm its results if it wants to see the projections that give it a majority in the National Assembly, or even an absolute majority, come true. The president of the National Rally has also called on voters “to remain mobilized in a final effort on July 7” and to grant him an absolute majority to take him to Matignon and avoid him falling under a motion of censure. “I intend to be the Prime Minister of all French people,” added Jordan Bardella.
And Marine Le Pen’s protégé is so keen to lead the government that he has already thought about the composition of a ministerial team that is being refined over the course of the campaign, the prospecting and the alliances formed. “I have my government in mind and some of the personalities concerned have been informed,” he assured the JDD on June 23. But then who could be there and in which ministry?
Ministers from the right and elsewhere…
The president of the National Rally began prospecting several months ago with the implementation of a “Matignon plan” and it was first in his own camp that he sought ministerial personalities. Interviews were conducted by the RN’s European deputy, Philippe Olivier, with various elected officials of the party with the aim of forming an unofficial government ready to be appointed according to ProvenceA mission commissioned by Marine Le Pen herself to train “specialists” for each government portfolio to be filled.
But if it were to be formed soon, the Bardella government would not only contain ministers from the National Rally, underlines Marine Le Pen who continues to say that Jordan Bardella will be at the head of a government of national unity comprising “people who want to participate in the recovery of the country, whether they are on the left or the right. However, the ministers would come mainly from the right given the alliance formed with Eric Ciotti, the since contested Republican president, to whom “great responsibilities” were promised. Other members of the Republicans who followed or joined Eric Ciotti could claim ministerial functions.
…even from the left?
The National Rally is reportedly considering recruiting ministers from even the left half of the political spectrum. “There are cadres of these movements [de gauche] who are on the same journey as their voters. Especially since the association with France Insoumise still creates a certain number of questions” indicated Marine Le Pen in an interview for The voice of the North.
Apart from political considerations, “personalities from civil society, selected not only for their competence, their seriousness and their expertise” could be appointed to the government if Jordan Bardella became Prime Minister, as he himself indicated to the JDD. “We are not ruling anything out. Jordan Bardella will choose the most competent people who share our philosophy,” Marine Le Pen explained earlier to the World.
Who could become minister under Jordan Bardella?
The various prospections and new alliances allowed the National Rally to draw the outlines of a government. Some names of possible future ministers are circulating for different ministries:
- Minister of the Interior : Eric Ciotti would be considered to settle at Place Beauvau in Jordan Bardella’s plans, but the former boss of the European agency Frontex Fabrice Leggeri is also an option. Thibault de Montbriallawyer and president of the think tank Center for Reflection on Internal Security (CRSI) is also cited among the ministers as the vice-president of the party Sebastien Chenu.
- Justice Ministry : Jean-Paul Garrauda magistrate by profession and former member of the UMP, is in the running to become the RN’s Minister of Justice.
- Economy Minister : Jean-Philippe Tanguy is in a good position to inherit Bercy, but other names are mentioned, including that of Henry Proglio, former Chairman and CEO of EDF, and that of Francois Durvye, who runs a “private equity” company Otium Capital according to Jordan Bardella.
- Defense Minister : Laurent Jacobelli appears to be in a good position for the Ministry of the Armed Forces according to Provence. The experience of the elected official on the National Defense and Armed Forces Committee as a French deputy and his writing of a report at the conclusion of an information mission on the Military Programming Law (LPM) from 2019 to 2025 explains why his name is mentioned.
- Minister of Foreign Affairs : several names are mentioned for the post of head of French diplomacy including that ofEric Ciottiof Sébastien Chenu who was a member of the standing committee on foreign affairs of the National Assembly, or of Thibault Francois who has established himself as an important advisor to Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, to the point of being entrusted with the role of delegate for European affairs of the National Rally. The former diplomat and ambassador of France to Algeria, Xavier Driencourtis also presented as a contender for this morocco.
Jordan Bardella says he wants to form a “government of national unity, tighter in its organization” and supported by “secretaries of state and ministers delegated by mission”. Many other positions would therefore be available, including leading companies such as Education or Health. For these, few names are needed at the moment, but the RN would seek to place “specialists” at the head of ministries. The deputy Joëlle Melin who is a former private doctor could therefore be considered for Health.
The RN is ready to draw from all its elected representatives, even those who have just been appointed to the European Parliament: Malika Sorel or Pierre Pimpie, respectively 2nd and 25th on the European list, would thus be considered as potential ministers. The National Rally could also decide to review the number of ministries or their fields of action, in particular to create a ministry of taxation and fraud at the head of which the deputy can well imagine Franck Allisio.
Names rejected for being minister
The name of Thierry Mariani, at times cited as a minister and more particularly in Foreign Affairs, would no longer be in the RN’s favor to join a possible government. Asked by TF1Info about the possible appointment of the MEP known to be close to Vladimir Putin, Jordan Bardella replied: “It is not planned.” However, the elected official, who was Minister of Transport under Nicolas Sarkozy, is one of the few in the RN to have government experience.
Marion Maréchal would also not be considered as a ministerable figure by the National Rally, despite her rapprochement with the party of its leader, Marine Le Pen, which led to her being officially excluded from Reconquest.
And what about Marine Le Pen ? The leader of the far right and mentor of Jordan Bardella has already given up on Matignon, leaving room for her right-hand man, she should also refuse a position as minister. Within the RN, everyone knows that Marine Le Pen reserves herself for a single function and for the most important one in the State: the presidency. She herself indicated that “being a minister does not [permettrait] not to continue working on my presidential stature.”