Nearly three months after sparking a political crisis in France by calling snap elections, President Emmanuel Macron is struggling to name a new prime minister who will not be immediately overthrown by rivals and who will preserve his economic policies.
The elections did not produce a clear winner, so Macron now has to choose a prime minister who will satisfy three roughly equal political blocs - the left, the extreme right and his centrist group - who are not in the least inclined to make concessions.
Macron has been meeting with political leaders of all political groups for weeks to find a possible prime minister, but his efforts have not borne fruit. With his position significantly weakened after the election, he has little choice but to consider concessions on hard-won pension reform, which the left despises, or to forgo tax increases, which the conservatives are demanding.
"The president is in no hurry because he does not want a prime minister who will touch his economic legacy. Raising taxes and reforming the pension system are his red lines," Socialist MP Artur Delaport told Reuters.
The rivals do not want to give the impression that they are making concessions to Macron, who is very unpopular with both the left and the right. His negotiating position was further weakened on Tuesday after Edouard Philippe, his popular former prime minister, decided to take advantage of the situation and announce his candidacy in the next presidential election in 2027.
The relationship between Filip and Macron was previously defined by rivalry, but also by mutual respect. The former prime minister, who is one of France's most popular politicians, has pledged "loyal but free" support for Macron, with his Horizon party backing the French president in parliament.
Several prominent members of the Horizonti party told the "Politiko" portal that Filip is counting on the fact that Macron will be forced to step down before the end of his mandate.
Filip's move, combined with the difficult situation he finds himself in, raises the question of whether Macron will stay until the end of his second and final term.
Despite his unpredictability, Macron is unlikely to heed calls from the left to resign. Still, Philippe's move, combined with the difficult situation the president finds himself in, raises the question of whether Macron will stay until the end of his second and final term.
Delaport said that Filip "stabbed the president in the back" with his move, while conservative senator Bruno Retalju hinted that the Macron era is now coming to an end.
"We have entered a new period," he told BFM TV.
The Elysée Palace dismissed Philip's presidential ambitions, saying it was more focused on putting together a government to lead the country. "We have to find a new prime minister, deal with the urgent situations and challenges the country is facing. So the rest...", said the advisor from the Elysee Palace.
Sources close to Macron say that, after weeks of consultations, Macron has narrowed his choice for prime minister to former Socialist Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve from the left and former Labor Minister and conservative Xavier Bertrand.
It is not clear whether either of them could muster enough support in parliament to form a government, or whether they would immediately face a vote of no confidence that would humiliate Macron and send France back to square one.
Senator Lor Darkos, an ally of Bertrand, told Reuters he would not try to dismantle Macron's 2023 pension reform, which led to weeks of street protests and was passed by bypassing parliament.
While the left and far right are determined to repeal it, even Macron's centrist ally and political veteran Francois Bairou said the president should consider changes to soften it.
As Macron's quest for prime minister dragged on, public finances quickly deteriorated, and outgoing finance minister Bruno Le Maire said austerity measures worth tens of billions of euros were needed to cover the budget deficit.
However, left-wing lawmakers are calling for a tax increase, which is hardly acceptable to Macron after he cut taxes for companies and households by more than 50 billion euros since he first took office in 2017.
Conservative lawmaker Veronique Luazi told Reuters her Republican Party could not support a prime minister who would raise taxes or allow public finances to spiral out of control.
Whoever Macron chooses will face a baptism of fire as time runs out to prepare a budget bill for 2025, which could trigger a special no-confidence vote if the other parties are not satisfied.
If that happens, "I don't see any other solution but Macron's resignation," said leftist MP Erik Kokrel. "When things are blocked, someone has to give way".
Bonus video:
