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France: François Bayrou new prime minister, in charge of forming the government

After weeks of uncertainty, Emmanuel Macron has chosen François Bayrou as prime minister to deal with the political crisis in France. The handover between Michel Barnier and Bayrou will take place today

French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed François Bayrou as the new prime minister and charged him with forming a government. The appointment was officially announced by the Elysée Palace, with the handover between outgoing premier Michel Barnier and Bayrou taking place at 5pm at the Palais Matignon. Bayrou, former mayor of Pau and leader of the MoDem party, was chosen for his ability to mediate between the various political forces at a crucial time for France.

According to Macron’s entourage, as reported by Le Figaro, Bayrou will have the task of ‘dialoguing with all political parties to find conditions for stability and action’. His appointment, the result of consultations over the past few days, was seen as the most consensual choice to guarantee the country’s unity and form a government of general interest, as called for by the president himself in his speech following the censure vote that forced Michel Barnier out of office.

Political reactions: Marine Le Pen’s warning

Marine Le Pen, leader of the Rassemblement National, commented on Bayrou’s appointment with caution. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Le Pen warned: ‘If his policies are just an extension of Macronism, Bayrou will fail’. She emphasised the urgency of protecting the French and listening to oppositions, hoping that the new premier would adopt more inclusive policies than those of his predecessor.

Le Pen also called on Bayrou to ‘build a reasonable and considered budget’, moving away from the policies that she believes have already led Macron to defeat in recent elections. The Rassemblement National leader expressed her hope that the new premier could work with all political forces to avoid another government crisis.

Jordan Bardella and the role of political dialogue

The leader of the Rassemblement National, Jordan Bardella, cautiously welcomed the appointment of François Bayrou, saying that the future premier will not suffer ‘censure a priori’, but that there are ‘red lines’ that the government will have to respect. Bardella emphasised the need for Bayrou to take into account the country’s new political situation, characterised by the fragmentation of forces in parliament, and to initiate a dialogue with all parties in order to build a stable and inclusive government.

Bardella reiterated that, given the current political instability, it was imperative that Bayrou show openness towards other political forces, especially those representing a significant part of the French population, to prevent the government from ending up foundering in the same difficulties faced by the previous executive.

Ensemble’s support and Gabriel Attal’s optimism

Gabriel Attal, former French prime minister and Ensemble group leader in the National Assembly, expressed confidence in François Bayrou’s nomination. Attal stressed Bayrou’s qualities as a defender of the general interest and his ability to build the fundamental stability that France requires in such a critical period.

Attal recognised that, despite the challenges, Bayrou is the right man to lead the country towards greater political cohesion, overcoming divisions and finding shared solutions to address the economic and social problems plaguing France. According to Attal, Bayrou is capable of guaranteeing solid and stable leadership, which is necessary to face the difficulties the country is going through.

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