The French Prime Minister presents a cabinet that includes key figures of Macronism

The leader of the socialists: “The extreme right in power under the surveillance of the extreme right”

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The Prime Minister of France, François Bayrou, presented his new cabinet this Monday, which includes key figures of Macronism and a small concession to the Socialists with the election of former Prime Minister Manuel Valls as head of the Overseas portfolio.

Valls, a former socialist, prime minister during the mandate of François Hollande and now a current member of Renaissance, the party of French President Emmanuel Macron, was a candidate on the Ciudadanos list for Barcelona City Council in 2019.

The new Overseas Minister thus inherits the challenge of responding to the situation in Mayotte after the devastating effects of cyclone ‘Chido’ after Macron visited the territory last week amid recriminations from survivors for the marginalization of which they have been subjected for decades. by continental France.

Among the main names in the cabinet is former Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, who resigned in January after the controversial approval of the immigration law promoted during her government and who will now be in charge of the Education portfolio.

Gérald Darmanin, who was in charge of the Interior for four years – including Borne’s mandate – also returns and will become Minister of Justice, as well as Aurora Bergé, who will once again be head of Equality after leaving office a few months ago. .

On the other hand, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noel Barrot, repeats his position; the Minister of Defense, Sébastien Lecornu; the Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau and Rachida Dati at the head of Culture, as reported by France Info.

Another nod to the socialists is the appointment of François Rebsamen as the new Minister of Regional Planning and Decentralization, who was head of Labor during the Valls mandate and ‘number 2’ of the Socialist Party during the Hollande era.

The French Prime Minister stressed that he is “very proud” of the team he has presented. “An experienced group to reconcile and renew the trust of all French people,” he indicated on social networks.

Later, Bayrou appeared on French television to defend his election and assured that he is “convinced” that the new government will not be overthrown in a new motion of censure. “I am convinced that the action I present and the government team will guarantee that there will be no censorship,” he stated in an interview on BFMTV.

Bayrou has acknowledged that “no party” is “happy” with the list of members of the Government, including the right-wing Republicans. “It is not a problem of the Government”, but of the parties, he argued.

He has thus charged in particular against the far-right National Rally and against La Francia Insumisa, on the left, although he has indicated that he does not want to “make war on these 16 million voters” who opted for these two formations.

Regarding the government’s priorities, Bayrou has cited insecurity because “the vast majority of French people think that we are in an unsafe country” and has also advocated “facing the problem” of immigration. Thus, he has refused to describe the National Rally as an extreme right-wing party and believes that it is “a protest party” that “does not respect several of the values ​​and principles” that he has.

“PROVOCATION”

Shortly after the announcement – made by the head of the Elysée Alexis Kohler – the leader of the Socialist Party, Olivier Faure, described Bayrou’s Government as a “provocation”. “The extreme right in power under the surveillance of the extreme right,” he indicated in a message published on the social network X.

For his part, the leader of La Francia Insumisa (LFI), Jean-Luc Mélenchon, has appealed for a vote of confidence to be called as soon as possible. “Only with the (motion of) censure will we be able to say ‘no’ to this new denial of what France voted for under Le Pen’s control,” he noted. “The dismissal of the organizer of this shipwreck is more urgent than ever to return power to the French!” he stressed.

The LFI spokesperson in the National Assembly, Mathilde Panot, has assured while on her social networks that the Bayrou Government is a government “full of people disowned by the polls” that has the support of the National Rally and its leader, Marine le Pen.

The leader of the Ecologists, Marine Tondelier, stressed in an interview with the BFM TV channel that “the only people who have dignity are those who have refused to participate in this farce” and that in the Bayrou Executive there are people — in reference to Valls– who have been presented as “left” but who separated from it “a long time ago.”

Similarly, the president of the National Rally, Jordan Bardella, has stated that Bayrou has opted for “the coalition of failure.” “Fortunately ridicule does not kill,” he stated, adding that his party will be there “to defend and protect” the French.

Later, Le Pen herself asked for a “change of method” while declaring herself “waiting for the alternation.” “The French did not expect much from the appointment of a government that, like the previous one, is based on a clear lack of legitimacy and an impossible majority,” he stressed.

The new head of the French Government took office from his predecessor, Michel Barnier, forced to leave office after falling due to a historic motion of censure presented by the left-wing coalition of the New Popular Front (NFP) and supported by those of Le Pen before the latest episode of the crisis due to the budget debate open in the country.

Bayrou has promised not to resort to article 49.3 of the Constitution – which allows legislative measures to be approved if a motion of censure is passed – unless there is a situation of “absolute deadlock” in the French National Assembly.

The NFP – the bloc with the most representation in the National Assembly, made up of LFI, socialists and environmentalists – has previously warned that it will propose motions of censure against any prime minister who is not of its rank, so the new Executive hanging by a thread.