Michel Barnier’s first eight days at Matignon
Thursday, September 5th, at noon
Michel Barnier, 73, former European Commissioner and member of the Republicans, is Prime Minister Designateafter a government vacation of more than fifty days.
Friday, September 6th
HE queries Start: Gabriel Attal, Jean Castex, Gérard Larcher, Laurent Wauquiez and Bruno Retailleau are welcomed. Then, at the end of the afternoon, the youngest Prime Minister of the Vmy Republic, Gabriel Attal, and the elder, Michel Barnier, perform the transfer of power. The second promise “changes and ruptures”.
Saturday, September 7th
first trip, at the Necker Hospital (Paris, 15my city). “Listening” caregivers, makes health one of the “priorities” of his government. He also reacts to the words of Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally (RN), who places him “under surveillance” of the far-right party. “I am under the surveillance of all French people”reply. She continues to consult in Matignon with her predecessor, Elisabeth Borne, and the president of the National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet.
The demonstrations against the call by La France Insoumise to denounce his appointment bring together 110,000 protesters in the country, according to the authorities, 300,000, according to the initiators of movement.
Sunday, September 8th
Logically, the new prime minister does not the cover of the Sunday weeklies. In an interview with Sunday newspaperMichel Barnier listens “raise the horizon line, individual for all, collective for France.” In Sunday’s TribuneThe head of government promises a “a culture of dynamic commitment, where everyone maintains their identity”.
In Matignon he continues his conversations. He is Representatives of horizonsincluding former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe. 200 kilometres away, Marine Le Pen, in her stronghold of Hénin-Beaumont (Pas-de-Calais), denies the report that Emmanuel Macron called her on Thursday to make sure for the last time that the RN would not automatically censure Michel Barnier.
Monday, September 9th
In Matignon, representatives of the Liberties group, independent deputies, overseas deputies and territories (LIOT) exchange with Michel Barnier, returning from a lunch with Emmanuel Macron. “We are not here to participate or give names to a government”said Stéphane Lenormand, president of the group, after the meeting.
Barnier denies having considered creating a Ministry specifically dedicated to immigration.while Franceinfo wrote during the day that a “current reflection” was headed by the head of government.
Tuesday, September 10th
Marc Fesneau, Stéphane Séjourné AND Hervé Marseille are welcomed in Matignon in the morning. Michel Barnier is also preparing the draft state budget which he will have to complete in the next few days, having lunch with the resigning Minister of Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire, and with his Minister of Public Accounts, Thomas Cazenave, who has also resigned.
At the end of the day, he meets for the first time with the deputies of the Ensemble pour la République. “I need you and the President of the Republic needs you”He addressed them. But “This is a new government, not a reshuffle”said.
Wednesday, September 11
Michel Barnier sets the government appointment for “next week”, explaining what to do “things methodically, seriously”since his arrival in Matignon. He also visits the parliamentarians ofHorizonsEdouard Philippe’s party in Reims and those of Modem.
Thursday, September 12
Michel Barnier promises a government “balanced, representative, plural” in which “Everyone will have their place”on his Savoyard lands where he met, a few hours later, with the parliamentarians of Les Républicains. He claims that there are “no reserved domains” to the President of the Republic, but “shared domains”.
Laurent Wauquiez, head of the LR deputies, requests the application of a “right-wing politics”with “more security” AND “less immigration” to the Prime Minister, promising him “very clear support” of all the parliamentarians of his party.
Friday, September 13th
Michel Barnier’s tour of the political groups has officially ended. A period of sounding out among ministers could begin over the weekend.
