Marion Maréchal, head of the Reconquest list in the European elections, defends the idea that all lists which make up more than 5% will have elected representatives. This is because the European elections are one-round proportional elections, so any list that passes the 5% mark will have elected officials. Maréchal explains that having elected representatives is not useless, as it allows the Reconquest list to sit in the influential ECR group in the European Parliament, which can swing the majority and influence European policy. Maréchal also criticizes the banning and censorship of political meetings by La France insoumise [31dc509f].
Emmanuel Macron is facing criticism from Olivier Faure, the first secretary of the Socialist Party and deputy of Seine-et-Marne, who argues that regardless of who is appointed as Prime Minister, the policies of the government will remain the same. Faure asserts that the real power lies with the Élysée and that Prime Ministers have no room for maneuver. He supports Mathilde Panot's (LFI) proposal to subject the next Prime Minister to a vote of confidence in the National Assembly, considering it a republican tradition. Faure believes that the Prime Minister should seek the approval of Parliament and present their program [fbfe3c5d].
This criticism comes in the context of ongoing divisions within the Macronist majority and the recent cabinet reshuffle. Macron has decided to stick to his initial approach and avoid making significant changes. He does not plan to change his direction or appoint a strong Prime Minister. Instead, he wants his government to support him and avoid innovation or playing a different tune. Macron is also planning to have a face-to-face meeting with the French people in mid-January to embark on new reforms [173255c7].
The divisions within the Macronist majority have become more apparent during the debate over the immigration law. The bill, which includes measures such as tightening family reunification conditions, stricter immigration rules for students, and reintroducing the offense of illegal stay, has caused further fractures within the majority. The main point of disagreement centered around conditioning access to social benefits for foreigners, with the right-wing advocating for a longer period of residency.
Despite the divisions, the bill ultimately passed with the support of the right-wing party. This has led to the threat of ministerial resignations and has signaled the end of illusions for the Macronists. The left has criticized the majority for aligning with the far-right, while the far-right has claimed an ideological victory. The bill has already been passed in the Senate and now awaits a tense vote in the National Assembly. Patrick Baudouin, president of the Ligue des Droits de l'Homme, has criticized the immigration law as regressive and repressive. He described the day of adoption as 'a day of shame.' The law has caused deep unease within the Macronist majority, leading to the resignation of a minister and divisions within the Parliament. The law was adopted with the support of the Rassemblement national, which sees itself as ideologically victorious [fa7b3d8d].
Elisabeth Borne, who had been serving as Prime Minister, has resigned from her position. Macron could no longer stand her and their relationship was characterized as more of a human problem than a political one. Despite publicly praising her work, Macron did not seem to appreciate her personally. Borne was described as rigid, mechanical, too political, and too technocratic. Macron often made fun of her, and they rarely laughed together. Borne's resignation was not entirely voluntary. Macron thanked her for her exemplary work in implementing their projects. There are rumors about who might replace Borne as Prime Minister [9e63313b].
Gabriel Attal, aged 34, has become the youngest Prime Minister in the history of the Fifth Republic, replacing Élisabeth Borne [8d78cc20]. In response to Attal's appointment, Boris Vallaud and Geneviève Darrieussecq, both elected officials from the Landes region, have expressed their reactions. Vallaud stated that this promotion is just another episode with the same record as the President of the Republic, while Darrieussecq wished Attal the best. Fabien Lainé, the mayor of Sanguinet, described Attal as a talented moderate with true republican authority [8d78cc20].
Gabriel Attal delivered his general policy speech before the National Assembly. The left plans to submit a motion of no confidence after the speech, signed by LFI, ecologists, PC, and PS. The motion of no confidence will be examined in the hemicycle on Thursday. The right-wing and the Rassemblement national will not support the motion of no confidence. The left has little chance of overthrowing the government. The right-wing is reserving its actions for the future and is considering demanding a constitutional reform on immigration. Gabriel Attal's speech will not be followed by a vote of confidence [23d7bf01].
Léa Salamé, a journalist at France 2, made a mistake on the show Quelle époque! when she confused Gabriel Attal, the current Prime Minister, with another politician. This happened during a game of photocall with actor Pierre Arditi. Salamé showed Arditi a photo of Attal's partner instead of Attal himself. Salamé quickly corrected herself, but Arditi found it amusing and joked that she had proven that Emmanuel Macron and Gabriel Attal are the same person. Attal, 34, was recently appointed as the youngest Prime Minister in history. He was previously the spokesperson for the En Marche movement. This incident occurred on February 3, 2024 [b3cdb721].
François-Xavier Bellamy, head of the Les Républicains list, is struggling in the polls ahead of the European elections. He is looking for a political space between Macronism and the far right. Bellamy has focused his campaign on 'border protection' and 'economic sovereignty' and is against free trade agreements and in favor of a moratorium on environmental issues. The European elections are crucial for the future of Les Républicains, and a score below 5% would mean they won't send any MPs to the European Parliament. Bellamy is currently fifth in the polls [cdb4cc96].
French President Emmanuel Macron has reportedly criticized his finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, for advocating a 'Thatcherite' overhaul of France's welfare state. Le Maire warned in his book, 'The French Way', that the welfare state has become uncontrollable and called for cuts in health spending and the replacement of the welfare state with a protective state. However, it was revealed that France's budget deficit for last year was higher than forecast, and debt now stands at 110.6% of GDP. Macron reportedly branded Le Maire a 'hypocrite' during a crisis meeting on the issue. Le Maire has overseen massive state spending during the Covid crisis but has also attempted to cut spending. He announced a €10 billion savings plan for 2024 and intends to make savings of at least €20 billion by 2025. Le Maire's book is seen as an early presidential manifesto ahead of the 2027 elections [6a2d3570].
Between 6–9 June 2024, millions of Europeans will participate in shaping the future of European democracy on the occasion of the European elections. The European Parliament is the world’s only directly elected transnational assembly. The Members of the European Parliament represent the interests of EU citizens at the European level. MEPs shape and decide on new laws that influence all aspects of lives across the European Union. The next European elections will be held on 6-9 June 2024. A total of 720 MEPs will be elected in June 2024, with the number of MEPs elected from each EU country agreed before each election. The election results will be reported live on the election results website. The European Parliament, representing the interests of EU citizens, and the Council, representing the interests of the countries, shape Commission proposals and, if they agree on them, adopt them. [8649cfe7]