Macron assumes that Barnier will fall and is already looking for a replacement

The President of France, Emmanuel Macronalready assumes that its Prime Minister, Michel Barnierwill fall victim this Wednesday to a motion of censure and the French media assure that he is already looking for a replacement from Saudi Arabia, where he is on a state visit.

While the call for the ‘responsibility’ of the ministers seems to end up in barren territory, the representatives of the left and especially the leader of the extreme right, Marine Le Penconfirm what was expected: Barnier will be the shortest prime minister since the Second World War.

The “chaos” and “instability” predicted by the executive, the financial “storm” weighing on France, whose risk premium is on par with that of Greece, have not convinced the opposition to change its position.

“It is possible that there is a reflection of responsibility (…) We are putting the interests of the country at stake,” Barnier stated. on televisionwhile he has hinted that he would not accept being re-appointed Prime Minister, a position he has only been in for three months.

Previously, he had a penultimate intervention before the deputies, during the government scrutiny session, in which: laconichas assured that if his Executive falls “everything will be more difficult and serious”.

Barnier became head of the government after two months of political deadlock and renewed talks at the Elysée, until the President opted for the profile of the experienced former Brexit negotiator as the only way to reconcile the three political families that sit almost equally in the Assembly emerging from the parliamentary elections of last year emerged July.

Rejected by the left from the first momentwhich claimed the position for one of its own blocs because it had more deputies than the other two blocs, the moderate conservative received the vigilant support of Le Pen, who, however, did not pass the test of the first major budget text.

From the Saudi capital, Macron has hoped that the motion will ultimately not be successful and has responded to calls for him to resign due to the new political crisis looming in the country. “That (resignation) is fictional politics, it makes no sense,” he stated during a conversation with French journalists traveling to Saudi Arabia.

Lecornu, Bayrou or Retailleau are among the options

Now he will have to return to the national stage and with little room to maneuver, so he will have to act urgently. But according to various media, Macron has been considering his options for days.

Among the names that will be downloaded, the one that sounds the loudest is that of the current Minister of Defense, Sebastiaan Lecornuthe only one in government since Macron entered the Elysée in 2017.

He is loyal among the president’s faithful and adds the advantage of having a certain positive view of Le Pen, which could serve to achieve the agreements that Barnier was unable to achieve.

Same as the centrist veteran François Bayrouone of the other candidates for the position, which would mark the culmination of a long political career in which he has been minister and candidate for the Elysée several times.

He shares with Le Pen his accusation in a case of illegal financing of parties with money from the European Parliament, of which he was acquitted due to lack of evidence, and the fact of being in favor of a more representative electoral system.

Another option is to bet on the current Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleaurepresentative of the hardest and most conservative wing of the traditional right, who shares ideas with Le Pen on immigration and security issues.