Gabriel Attal claims “the right to be demanding” with regard to the future Barnier government
Opening the meeting of 97 deputies of the Ensemble pour la République group, which he now heads, Gabriel Attal said he rejected “any sterile obstruction”, but claimed “the right to be demanding”. “We will not sell our values. We will defend our ideas and we will defend them forcefully”he warned.
The Macronist deputies, who will receive Michel Barnier on Tuesday evening, hope “strong commitments” of the Prime Minister on his “program” and his “values”Attal said, recalling the presidential party’s desire for Barnier to resort to “people from the Republican right, from the central block and from the Republican left” to form their government.
But “In addition to duties, we also have rights. We have the right to demand. No majority can be written without us. Without us, no vote can be won.”the former prime minister added.
A balanced position that reflects the discomfort of some. “I don’t know if I am the majority or [dans] the opposition »asked MP Ludovic Mendes, estimating that Michel Barnier is currently giving “No more promises [la] right and far right ». “Its composition and its roadmap are inseparable”estimates the Macronist deputy Marc Ferracci, who wants the government to understand “people from the central block in due proportion to what we represent in the Assembly”.
During this meeting, according to Agence France-Presse, which relies on testimonies from participants, the resigned Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, suggested that potential ministers from the presidential camp could leave the government en bloc if “red lines” were crossed. The resigning minister and new vice-president of the National Assembly, Roland Lescure, spoke of a possible “incompatibility” with personalities that Barnier could use to form his team, without mentioning names, but probably targeting officials from the right-wing party Les Républicains.
