Gabriel Attal, in his cupboard, Matignon Palace on the 4th of April 2024. Source: Julien Muguet for Le Monde.
How do you cling to a job when you know it's about to be dashed to pieces? Le Monde gave us a great depiction: the French Prime Minister, who alongside his ministers, had handed in his resignation just last month. In the grandeur of Matignon Palace, the PM stands glibly. He looks as if he’d rather be anywhere else, knowing he is stuck. President Macron, after patting his junior on the back, had asked him to hang in there. But his tired face reveals that he has already half-packed his bags.
Yesterday, the PM’s office issued a letter to all ministries announcing a freeze on state expenses for 2025, some €492 billion. The office described it as a 'reversible budget,’ nice and easy for the next government to alter.
It has been quite some time since the legislative election on July 7th, yet no new Prime Minister or Government has been named. The lack of a clear majority in parliament has not helped.
Edwige Diaz, VC of the Rassemblement National (RN), stated in an interview yesterday that a "new dissolution" of Parliament is the only way out of the "state of paralysis" France currently faces. Clearly, they’re wagering on a comeback.
For now, Le Pen and Bardella of the RN must content themselves with polishing their boots and shining their smiles. Macron will on Friday summon all the political chiefs to sip tea and nibble biscuits. Once the chitchat over, and the crumbs cleared, Macron plans to pick a Prime Minister next week.
The frontrunner is Lucie Castet from the left bloc. The coalition of three major left-wing parties that holds the most seats, though still short of a majority. However, they’re still just three pimply kids, squeezed under an oversized dress, all the while poking and pinching each other underneath.
One of the heads burst out angrily on Sunday. Jean Luc Mélenchon proclaimed he’d impeach Macron in an article. And in the spirit of cheapness, I present you the free snippet I could freely extract:
“A proposition to impeach the President of the Republic…” it began. “The Insoumis [Melonchon’s far lefties] were ready to do it, if Emmanuel Macron does not resolve to nominate a candidate from the left to Matignon.”
Turns out it’s easier to say than do. The entire procedure under Article 68 must be initiated by Parliament and ultimately requires a two-thirds majority to take effect.
On Monday, the Greens leader dismissed the impeachment threat, which was also rejected by the chief of the Socialist Party. Neither of them bothered to wish their co-leader, Mélenchon, a happy birthday on Monday. It really is one big happy family.
It had been weeks of negotiation before they finally managed to rally behind a candidate, Lucie Castets. But with the most recent round of leftie bickering, Macron has been carefully extending his hand to potential chums in hopes of forming a competing majority. His party, Ensemble, desperately needs help after they were rudely trimmed down last election.
The very week the whole Olympic fest kicked off, I found myself strolling down Rue de Babylone, where the PM’s shack, the Hotel Matignon, is tucked away. Just one plucky police van parked outside. All I could wonder was whether they realised they were guarding an empty house, waiting for a candidate who’s yet to exist.
In other news
UK’s Planning Bill to “enable democratic engagement with how, not if, homes and infrastructure are built” ($FT).
Worst French wheat harvest expected in 40 years (Politico EU).
Top court accepts reform to cut German Parliament from 736 to 630 heads. But protection for mini parties kept (Euronews).
EU intends to slap duties on Chinese EVs (Euronews).