French President Macron Names New Prime Minister, but Challenges Lie Ahead
French President Emmanuel Macron named François Bayrou as his new prime minister on Friday, but the scale of the challenge facing the veteran centrist was immediately clear as the Socialist Party refused to join his coalition government.
Bayrou, 73, gave a sober assessment of the long road ahead, saying, "It is a long road, everyone knows that. I am not the first to take a long road."
France’s festering political malaise has raised doubts about whether Macron will complete his second presidential term until 2027. It has also lifted French borrowing costs and left a power vacuum in the heart of Europe, just as Donald Trump heads to the White House and Germany braces for new elections following the collapse of its governing coalition.
Bayrou, the founder of the Democratic Movement (MoDem) party, has run for president three times, leaning on his rural roots as the longtime mayor of the southwestern town of Pau. His immediate priority will be passing a special law to roll over the 2024 budget, with a nastier battle over the belt-tightening 2025 legislation looming early next year.
Parliamentary pushback over the 2025 bill led to Barnier’s downfall and left-wing leaders on Friday announced they might try to topple Bayrou as well should he use special constitutional powers to ram through the budget against parliament.
Bayrou’s proximity to the deeply unpopular Macron may also prove to be a vulnerability. The Socialist Party, which Macron courted during his prime ministerial search, accused the president of ignoring their demands for a leftist leader in favor of a "risky" Macronista.
"We will thus not enter the government and remain in the opposition," said Boris Vallaud, the leader of the Socialists’ parliamentary bloc.
Reaction to Bayrou’s appointment on the left will be a concern for Macron, with the prime minister likely living day-to-day, at the mercy of the president’s opponents, for the foreseeable future.
Real test over 2025 budget looms
Barnier’s budget bill, which aimed for 60 billion euros ($63 billion) in savings to assuage investors increasingly concerned by France’s 6% deficit, was deemed too miserly by the far-right and left. The government’s failure to find a way out of the gridlock has seen French borrowing costs push higher.
What’s next?
- Bayrou will face a tough battle to pass the 2024 budget and navigate the 2025 legislation.
- The Socialist Party and other left-wing groups will likely continue to push for a more representative government.
- Macron’s popularity ratings remain low, making it an uphill battle for Bayrou to succeed.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What is the current state of French politics?
- France is in a state of political turmoil, with a hung parliament and a president facing opposition from several parties.
- Who is François Bayrou?
- Bayrou is the founder of the Democratic Movement (MoDem) party and has run for president three times, leaning on his rural roots as the longtime mayor of Pau.
- What are the major challenges facing Bayrou?
- Bayrou must pass the 2024 budget and navigate the 2025 legislation, while also dealing with opposition from the Socialist Party and other left-wing groups.
- What is the current state of the French economy?
- The French economy is struggling, with a 6% deficit and high borrowing costs, making it an uphill battle for Bayrou to implement his economic policies.
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