Despite promises of announcements this week, Michel Barnier's government should not be known “before Sunday”. In the meantime, here are the latest rumors regarding the profiles that may join the government team.
Seeking a balanced and renewed government, Michel Barnier is under pressure from the right, his political family, which he welcomed back on Monday, and Macronists who want to limit his weight as crucial budget deadlines loom approach A brief overview of the latest rumors regarding the composition of the future government.
Wauquiez, Retailleau, Pécresse… the LR tenors force
Laurent Wauquiez “he would have come into the negotiations saying: 'It's Beauvau or nothing'”, according to an LR director at BFMTV. The hypothesis of seeing him succeeding Gérald Darmanin at the Ministry of the Interior is still current, but it does not seem to be unanimously supported, especially in the Macronist camp.
For the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the profile of Valerie Pécresse would be among the favorites. “She's not a candidate for anything, but clearly, she wouldn't say no to Bercy,” one of her relatives commented to our colleagues. Another profile taken into account: the former Minister of the Budget Eric Woerth who could return to the same position almost fifteen years later. The experienced profile of this former LR who joined the Macronists in 2022 would be a major argument.
To replace Éric Dupond-Moretti at Justice, this is the name of the senator Bruno Retaileau which had first been put on the table before the latter refused according to several corroborating sources. From now on, MP Horizons Naïma Mouchoudeputy speaker of the Assembly and a lawyer, would appear as the favorite.
New LR heads could come out of the hat
Three names, all close to Michel Barnier, are circulating as they enter government: Sophie the Primate (vice president of the Senate), Marie-Claire Carrège-Gé (Senator Les Républicains) and Olivier Marleix (former head of the LR group in the Assembly). Vincent Jeanbrunthe LR mayor of L'Haÿ-les-Roses (Val-de-Marne) is mentioned for two positions, according to BNFMTV: that of spokesperson or at the City.
Michel Barnier does not forget the Macronists
Several names of Together for the Republic (EPR) deputies are circulating to enter the government: Maud Bregeon, Matthew Lefebvre, Antoine Armand or the modem Jean-Paul Mattei. Profiles not attached to specific ministries. Sen. Claude Malhuretclose to Edouard Philippe, he was also approached, as was the head of BpiFrance Nicolas Dufourcq. Macronist senator and former minister Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne is being considered for Relations with Parliament, according to a ministerial source.
As for the existing ministers, some may retain their position. The Minister of Labor and Health has resigned Catherine Vautrin and the Minister of Culture Rachida Dati could remain in government, without any portfolio having been decided yet, according to BFMTV. The former LR and the new heavyweight of the Macron camp, Sébastien Lecornu would be the favorite to stay in Defense.
Left Tenors Considered But Not Interested?
Former Minister of Economy Arnaud Montebourg it is a way to represent the left in this new government. But the latter confessed to him Political that he already had a “wonderful job” and didn't want another one. Several PS tenors who criticized Olivier Faure for refusing to talk to Emmnauel Macron during the negotiations for Matignon have publicly announced that they will not enter the Barnier government. Former Minister of Agriculture Stéphane Le Follthe president of the Occitanie region Carole Delga and the mayor of Saint-Ouen Karim Bouamrane are part of these profiles.