In an effort to navigate France’s political stalemate, President Emmanuel Macron has appointed François Bayrou as the country’s new prime minister on Friday. Bayrou, a veteran centrist politician and the founder of the MoDem party, takes the helm as France’s fourth prime minister within a year.
His appointment follows the resignation of Michel Barnier, a conservative Les Républicains party member, who stepped down last week after failing to secure enough support in the National Assembly to pass the 2025 budget.
The National Assembly, deeply divided, witnessed a historic event when lawmakers voted out a prime minister for the first time in over fifty years, leading to Barnier’s departure three months into his tenure. Macron’s selection of Bayrou is part of his strategy to build a coalition with established political parties like Les Républicains and the Socialists to break the legislative deadlock.
However, this move might not sit well with socialist lawmakers who have been pressing for a prime minister from the left, following the New Popular Front’s victory in securing the most seats during last summer’s snap elections.
Bayrou, 73, who is also the mayor of Pau, has been a prominent figure in French politics and an ally to Macron, despite his previous unsuccessful presidential bids before Macron’s rise to power in 2017.
Marine Le Pen and her far-right National Rally party, along with the New Popular Front, encompassing socialists to the far-left France Unbowed, and Macron’s pro-business allies, currently form the three conflicting blocs in the lower house of Parliament. The selection of Bayrou suggests that Le Pen’s group may continue to play a crucial role in future political developments.
With the socialists’ support still uncertain, Macron’s government remains at risk of facing another no-confidence vote. The previous no-confidence measure, which led to Barnier’s downfall, was initiated by the far-left France Unbowed and supported by Le Pen’s National Rally.
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