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2024-09-09 Europe
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Against gays and migrants. What France expects from the new 73-year-old prime minister
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Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
by Olesya Orlenko
[REGNUM] On September 5, the two-month crisis period ended in France, and President Emmanuel Macron finally appointed Michel Barnier as Prime Minister. However, the choice of the head of state has stirred up society.
And the question is not only about the personality or abilities of the new head of government: his actions will affect the social equilibrium, the balance of political forces and, possibly, the position of the leader of France himself.
The epic of choosing the prime minister began with the fact that the left-wing coalition “New Popular Front”, which had won the largest number of seats in parliament, could not decide on a candidate for a long time.
During the discussions, the names of Huguette Belot, a member of the regional council of the island of Reunion, and Laurence Tubiana, a professor of economics with experience in diplomacy and climate change, came up. Finally, the figure of Lucie Castets, the Paris city council's adviser on finance and budget, was proposed, and all the leftists agreed on her candidacy unanimously.
CLASSIC RIGHT
Emmanuel Macron thought about it and decided to choose... a member of the right-wing party "The Republicans" Michel Barnier.
The new head of government does have political experience. In 1978, he became the youngest member of parliament in the Fifth Republic, led the council in the Savoie region, and also held ministerial posts under François Mitterrand and Jacques Chirac.
Barnier is well known among EU officials, having served in the European Parliament, as the EU's commissioner for the internal market, and as a key player in the Brexit process.
In an interview with TF1 the day after his appointment, Barnier said he had experience both defending the EU's interests with bankers and France's interests with European leaders.
In the current situation, the position of Prime Minister of France implies making important decisions. This includes the adoption of the budget for 2025, which should take place in early October, while serious preparations in this direction have not yet been made due to the absence of a government in the country. And the problem of general social tension due to rising prices and impoverishment of the population.
And Michel Barnier seems to be aware of the responsibility that lies with him. He has said that the priorities of his administration will be the issues of France's public debt, improving pension reform and the migrant crisis.
However, the main issue worrying French society and the media in connection with the appointment of the new prime minister is the crisis of democracy.
Traditionally, the head of government is a candidate from the same political camp as the largest faction in the National Assembly. But in the lower house of parliament of the current convocation, the majority of seats are concentrated in the hands of a coalition of several left-wing parties.
And unity in their ranks is not always achieved immediately. Everyone has already seen this from the example of the hesitation regarding the candidacy for the post of Prime Minister, and which, by the way, is blamed on the "New People's Front" by a number of experts who see this as a destabilizing factor.
From the first days after the second round of parliamentary elections, Macron's entourage talked about the inadmissibility of ministers from "France Unbowed" on the one hand, and from "National Rally" on the other, getting into the country's government. In this regard, the candidacy of the classic right-wing party "Republicans" was obvious.
The catch is that the party only won 47 seats in the National Assembly. And they are seen as allies of the pro-presidential "Together" alliance.
In fact, one of the claims against Barnier is that he will continue the policy of the head of state, while the results of the recent vote should be understood precisely as a vote of no confidence in this line.
From this point of view, the results of a sociological survey by the ELABE Institute are indicative, according to which 74% of respondents believe that Macron did not draw conclusions from the expression of the will of the French people, and 52% have a positive attitude towards the announcement of a vote of no confidence in the president.
Despite the fact that 40% of respondents positively assess the appointment of Michel Barnier, 50% think that the new head of government will not be able to withstand the confrontation with parliamentarians.
THE LEFT WAS DECEIVED
Protests against the new appointment have already begun in the left-wing political camp and in society. At the demonstration held on September 7, organized by the left-wing coalition, disagreement with the choice of the president was heard.
Barnier is called a conservative who voted against the abolition of the article on homosexuality in the country's Criminal Code. They also recall his position on migrants, saying that he adopted some of the rhetoric from the most radical and racist part of the far right.
It is no surprise that Marion Maréchal-le Pen expressed hope on her social networks that he will be able to fulfill his promises in this regard.
Particularly painful for the left is the fact that the presidential coalition gained several dozen seats thanks to the support of the New Popular Front in the regions. The disappointed left considered Barnier's candidacy a violation of the unspoken agreement.
But the National Rally party, which was opposed by a real front during the early elections, is now playing a key role in stabilizing the political situation in the country. And this is another topic that is being actively discussed by the French media.
The support of these 142 deputies, who, unlike the other major factions in parliament, are a single party, will be decisive in the event of a vote of no confidence.
While Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella say they will be watching the first steps of the head of government, the party is generally supportive of the new prime minister and intends to give him a chance to prove himself.
But their fellow MPs are already voicing their wishes regarding ministerial portfolios. For example, members of the National Rally do not want the reappointment of former Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire and Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti.
The long-awaited appointment of a prime minister is certainly better than the state of uncertainty that France has endured for two months. But Macron's decision is fraught with further problems in both the short and long term.
Many consider Michel Barnier's position to be temporary and are anxiously awaiting next year, when, by law, the head of state will be able to dissolve parliament again.
All these upheavals have a negative impact on the mood of the French. On the one hand, people are becoming disillusioned with the political system, where, despite the votes of the electorate, the president rules alone.
On the other hand, they are unhappy that politicians are busy fighting for power, while the economic and social situation continues to deteriorate.
Researchers from the Sciense Po political science institute show that more and more people, including young people, consider it possible to sacrifice democratic manifestations in politics in exchange for the effective work of the government and the state.
And some experts predict a radicalization of society against the backdrop of frustration caused by the political situation.
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Posted by badanov 2024-09-09 00:00||
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