Macron seeks fifth PM amid political crisis
President Emmanuel Macron is searching for his fifth prime minister in under two years after opposition parties united to oust center-right premier François Bayrou over his unpopular plans for budget austerity.
Bayrou, who lost a no-confidence vote in parliament by 364 to 194 on Monday, is set to formally submit his resignation to Macron on Tuesday, Reuters reports.
Whoever Macron chooses as a successor faces the near-impossible task of uniting parliament and passing next year’s budget.
The name of Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu has been floated, with other options including a candidate from the centre-left or a technocrat. There are no rules dictating who Macron should choose or how quickly. Macron, 47, who has been in power since 2017, will name his new prime minister in the next few days, his office stated on Monday.
The Socialists were among those who said it was their turn to govern. “I would like it to be the left, the Greens. We must claim power,” said Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure on France Inter radio.
Meanwhile, the far-right National Rally party has reiterated its call for early parliamentary and presidential elections, both of which have been rejected by Macron. The president's decision last year to call a snap parliamentary election only resulted in a more fragmented parliament.
Markets reacted in a relatively limited way on Tuesday morning, as Bayrou’s removal was largely anticipated. The next test will be Fitch's decision on France's sovereign rating, expected on Friday.
The country is also bracing for Wednesday’s “Blocăm Totul” anti-government protests, which have gained traction on social media. The lack of a centralized leadership among the protestors makes it difficult to assess the size or impact of these demonstrations.
“Now that the change of prime minister is a done deal, we have to get rid of what’s at the top… this is a message for Macron,” said Alain Petit, 61, a protestor at a “farewell drink” for Bayrou on Monday night in Clermont-Ferrand, central France.
Similar “farewell drinks” for Bayrou were also held outside town halls across the country, with participants saying they were preparing for Wednesday’s protests.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
