In the National Assembly, Michel Barnier's fragile place threatened by tensions with Macronists | EUROtoday

Michel Barnier may have finished with out this assembly which has all of the makings of a name to order. At round 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 17, the brand new Prime Minister is because of obtain his predecessor, Gabriel Attal, now president of the Ensemble pour la République (EPR) group, at Matignon. The Hauts-de-Seine MP can be accompanied by his 5 vice-presidents (Marc Ferracci, Stéphanie Rist, Julie Delpech, Olga Givernet and Pierre Cazeneuve). The resigning Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, and former Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne are additionally a part of the delegation.

The assembly, demanded the earlier night by Mr. Attal and his troops, ought to permit the previous European Commissioner's intentions to be gauged. Does Michel Barnier actually intend to present EPR elected officers a distinguished place in his political system? Thirteen days after his appointment to Matignon, the plans of this right-wing Prime Minister, who’s making an attempt to stage his distance from the Head of State, stay impenetrable to the presidential camp. “We don't understand his method. It's totally opaque, we know nothing,” criticizes the EPR deputy for French folks overseas, Anne Genetet.

In a message addressed to his deputies on Tuesday night, Gabriel Attal deplored the shortage of ” clear visibility on the political line – in particular on possible tax increases – and on the major government balances” by Michel Barnier, questioning his group's participation in the government. The mandate that Emmanuel Macron gave to Michel Barnier is to unite. If he were to move away from this political mandate, opposing Michel Barnier and his government would amount to respecting the approach of the head of state,” warns the vice-president of the EPR group, Marc Ferracci.

Silent on his political line

However, the 97 deputies of Ensemble pour la République represent the principle pressure within the Palais-Bourbon on which Michel Barnier can hope to rely in a fractured Assembly the place the 193 elected members of the New Popular Front (NFP) and the 139 elected members of the National Rally (RN) and their allies threaten to overthrow him in the end. “We are not Playmobil. And we will not be the executors or the stooges of Mr. Barnier. If he looks down on us, he will be short of votes, he must not forget that,” push M^me Genetet.

At the EPR group assembly on Tuesday morning, the deputies expressed their considerations and annoyance, beginning with Gérald Darmanin who, throughout a protracted speech, puzzled out loud: “If our group disagrees with a number of government choices, how do we behave?” The deputy from the North, who nonetheless hopes to have the ability to keep in authorities, took the chance to clarify to his colleagues Michel Barnier's considering on a attainable tax improve. A casus belli for the Macronists, fervent defenders of supply-side coverage. This situation has rekindled mistrust of Michel Barnier. Finally, Matignon denied it on Tuesday night “tax rumors”, making certain “that no option has been decided.”

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