Parliamentary politics
The former Brexit negotiator emerged a front-runner on Thursday as talks edged towards an agreement this week between the French president and conservative leaders over the appointment of a right-leaning prime minister.
The conservatives, led by parliamentary group leader Laurent Wauquiez, wanted to keep their distance from Macron, but softened on Tuesday during talks with the president.
Wauquiez’s Les Républicains party moved from a radical manifesto along the lines of “it’s our parliamentary pact or nothing,” to a more conciliatory approach, will to reach “an agreement to talk with [the centrists],” a top official from Macron’s coalition told Playbook Paris.
With talks at a dead-end with the left, Macron needs the tacit support of the far right as the centrist and conservative blocs fall short of an outright majority in the National Assembly.
On Tuesday, Le Pen laid down her conditions for abstaining from voting a motion of no-confidence: “respect” for National Rally lawmakers, proportional representation at the National Assembly, tough on immigration and insecurity; and support for working classes in the budget.
The pan-left New Popular Front, which secured the most seats in this summer’s vote but falling short of an absolute majority, will likely be furious. A government with the tacit support for the far right “would be a total negation of the parliamentary election that saw the French … massively reject the rise to power of the National Rally,” a statement of the left-wing coalition Thursday read.
Macron in July refused to appoint the alliance’s candidate for prime minister, 37-year-old civil servant Lucie Castets, arguing that she was not in a position to govern with stability.
