Tensions between Macronists and Laurent Wauquiez’s right in a context of distribution of positions

The threat had been brewing for several days: the agreement between Gabriel Attal and Laurent Wauquiez to distribute key positions in the National Assembly was openly broken on Wednesday, October 9, by a presidency of the commission, marking a new division between the new allies .

The confrontation between the presidents of the Ensemble pour la République (EPR) and the Right-Wing Republican groups (formerly Les Républicains) cost the Macronists the presidency of the Economic Affairs Committee, won by Aurélie Trouvé (La France insoumise, LFI). A skirmish that has burned Matignon, at a time when the budget test is looming. Michel Barnier announced “your concern” in front of a “solidarity” of his allies “that wasn’t there”according to his surroundings, cited by Agence France-Presse.

However, Gabriel Attal and Laurent Wauquiez struck a lucrative deal this summer that secured them many key positions. But the LR group ultimately considered that it was not well served enough, especially since it is not guaranteed to regain a vice presidency vacated by Annie Genevard, who entered the government.

While the Macronists tried on Wednesday to retain the presidencies of the Economic Affairs, Foreign Affairs and Social Affairs commissions after the departure of the previous presidents from the Government, the right opened a front by presenting two candidates for Economic Affairs and Foreign Affairs.

For the latter, the fight was resolved peacefully: LR Michel Herbillon and RN Alexandra Masson withdrew their candidacy in the third round, postponing the votes that elected Bruno Fuchs (MoDem). In social matters, the right did not present anyone against the new president, Frédéric Valletoux (Horizons). But in economic matters, the third round became a settling of scores: Julien Dive withdrew his candidacy, but the LR abstained and one of them voted for Aurélie Trouvé, according to Dive. Much to the delight of the RN, who hit the right, Laurent Wauquiez in the lead: “Pool shots at I don’t know how many bands mean that LR is now the doormat of [LFI] »scoffed Laure Lavalette, RN deputy.

Reloaded rifle and threat of censorship

During a meeting of the EPR group in the afternoon, Gabriel Attal denounced a project “disastrous” by Laurent Wauquiez, and a sequence that comes “weaken trust” between the two fields, according to the participants. While calling not to fall “in a trap” and focus on “the interest of the country”. On behalf of LR, we denounce the greed of the Macronists. The presidential field “has five committee chairmen, (…) LR zero »noted LR deputy Julien Dive. Laurent Wauquiez’s group is only the fifth elected to the Assembly, but has more deputies than Horizons or MoDem, which won the presidency of the commission.

For Richard Ramos (MoDem), these turbulences are related to Wauquiez’s ambitions for 2027, which will lead to the right to “get out fast enough” of the government game, because “Otherwise, they will be contaminated by Macronism”. Eric Bothorel, classified on the left wing of the EPR, went further: “With the vote of the Republicans (…) “I have no qualms about voting on the next motion of censure that will be presented.”he assured X in an illustrated message with a loaded rifle.

The image, which shocked the ranks of the left and the RN, was not deleted by the elected Côtes-d’Armor official. “Imagine the political and media explosion if it were a “rebel” who had tweeted like that…”stressed the LFI deputy, Raphaël Arnault. On September 24, the Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, announced that he would take legal action over a tweet by Raphaël Arnault that evoked a “Murder of Kanak by French police forces” in New Caledonia.

Tensions also on the left

The lucky one, said Aurélie Trouvé “honored” chair a commission that covers strategic issues such as agriculture, energy or housing. He welcomed a result that “translates the vote of the French” in the legislative elections, in which the New Popular Front (NFP) won.

An alliance also plagued by tensions, as occurred during the elections for the presidency of the Social Affairs Commission. The socialist Jérôme Guedj, frontally opposed to the leadership of the LFI and who did not want the “NFP” label in the legislative elections, was elected candidate, instead of his comrade Arthur Delaporte. But the “Arthur Delaporte” ballots were still placed in the ballot boxes, and in the last round Jérôme Guedj did not fill the ballot boxes on the left. “The “rebels” (and environmentalists) prefer to vote blank”attacked X.