Centrist Ally Bayrou
PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron appointed François Bayrou as his fourth prime minister of 2024 on Friday, entrusting the veteran centrist with the challenging task of navigating France through its second major political crisis within the past six months.
Bayrou, a close ally of Macron, will prioritize securing the passage of a special law that will carry over the 2024 budget, as well as tackling the more contentious 2025 budget legislation, which is expected to spark significant opposition in the coming months.
The parliamentary resistance to the 2025 bill previously contributed to the downfall of former Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s government.
At 73, Bayrou is expected to announce his list of ministers in the coming days. However, he will face considerable hurdles in managing a hung parliament, which is divided into three competing blocs.
His close association with the deeply unpopular Macron is also likely to present a major vulnerability, making his ability to navigate the complex political landscape uncertain.
Despite this, Jordan Bardella, the president of the far-right National Rally party, has indicated that they will not immediately call for a no-confidence motion against Bayrou.
France’s ongoing political instability has led to growing concerns about Macron’s ability to complete his second presidential term, which runs until 2027. This instability has also resulted in rising borrowing costs for the country, exacerbating the power vacuum in Europe, especially as former U.S. President Donald Trump prepares for a potential return to the White House.
In an effort to secure support for Bayrou, Macron spent time speaking to a range of political leaders after Barnier’s ousting, but notably excluded far-right and hard-left parties, including Marine Le Pen’s National Rally and the France Unbowed movement.
While Macron is hopeful that Bayrou can avoid no-confidence votes until at least July, the possibility of another government collapse looms large. Bayrou, the founder of the Democratic Movement (MoDem) party, has been a key member of Macron’s political alliance since 2017.
Although he served briefly as justice minister, he resigned under a cloud of allegations related to his party’s fraudulent use of parliamentary assistants. He was cleared of all charges earlier this year.
Bayrou’s first major challenge will be securing approval for the 2025 budget, which includes austerity measures aimed at cutting 60 billion euros in spending to address the growing concerns of investors regarding France’s 6% deficit.
However, the fragmented and deeply divided National Assembly may make this task particularly difficult. The failure to pass the previous budget bill, which was seen as too austere by both the far-right and left, resulted in higher borrowing costs for France and intensified the country’s fiscal crisis.
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