French party leaders meet with Macron, who aims to name next PM 'in 48 hours'

French President Emmanuel Macron aims to name a new Prime Minister “within 48 hours”, party chiefs who met him on Tuesday told AFP, after premier Michel Barnier was toppled last week.

Macron had gathered leaders of major political parties at his Élysée Palace office in a bid to thrash out the conditions for a new government that could escape losing a no-confidence vote in France’s hung parliament.

Shutting out the far-right National Rally (RN) and hard-left France Unbowed (LFI), Macron’s initiative comes as caretaker ministers scramble to clarify France’s 2025 finances, after the last administration fell over its cost-cutting budget.

People close to Macron said he would propose “a method” to find a new government despite France’s hung parliament.

Barnier had been supported by the conservative Les Républicans and Macron’s centrist camp. But the alliance was far short of a majority in a National Assembly and was brought down by a left-wing alliance, including LFI, and the far-right National Rally (RN).

It was unclear how a broader base of support could be built for any new government.

Most leaders are unwilling to compromise on issues such as last year’s unpopular pension reform, or to tarnish their electoral image by co-operating with the unpopular president.

“We would prefer the debate not continue under (Macron’s) auspices for a simple reason, because he is not in a position today to be the referee,” Socialist Party chief Olivier Faure said as he arrived.

“Further discussions should instead take place at the National Assembly,” Greens boss Marine Tondelier added.

Even some in Macron’s camp were sceptical.

“He’s got it wrong, it’s not up to him to form a majority, it’s up to his prime minister,” one long-time Macron backer told AFP on condition of anonymity.

‘Promise again betrayed’

There is little hope for a quick resolution to the political crisis. The Greens have ruled out joining a “national interest” government while the Socialists said they would only serve under a left-wing premier – which has been ruled out by conservatives.

Bringing together so many parties did mark progress from Macron’s first attempt to reach consensus after July’s snap election, commentator Guillaume Tabard wrote in conservative daily Le Figaro.

“But if even a minimal deal is to be found ranging from the Republicans to the Communists, it will require an enormous labour of negotiation that will take days or weeks,” he added.

“The promise to quickly replace Barnier, yet again issued with confidence, will once again be betrayed.”

Outside the talks, the RN again hailed its position as a political outsider.

Party figurehead Marine Le Pen said she relished being awarded the “medal of the opposition” while mainstream parties held “a banquet to share out jobs” in government.

And LFI warned its left-wing allies that they would face consequences if they broke away.

“Who thinks they can win a single seat without us?” party leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon told AFP and other media in Redon, northwestern France.

LFI struck seat-by-seat deals with the Greens, Communists and Socialists for July’s election to make sure left-wing candidates made it into second-round run-off votes.

Taxes and borrowing

In an apparent acknowledgement that progress will be slow, Macron’s office said a special budget law to allow the French state to keep functioning would be presented Wednesday.

Lawmakers will debate the bill on December 16, a parliamentary source said, with most parties saying they will back it in the name of stability.

Its three measures include authorising the government to continue collecting existing taxes until a new budget is passed by parliament, a ministerial source told AFP.

The state and the social security system will also be allowed to continue borrowing on financial markets to avoid any interruption of payments, the source added.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

France24