French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he would announce the name of the new prime minister “in the coming days”. He emphasized that the budget is to be the priority of the new government. In his evening television speech, he assured that he would perform his duties until the end of the presidential term in 2027.
The French government collapsed on Wednesday. On Thursday evening, President Emmanuel Macron delivered a speech. He announced that he would entrust the new prime minister with “forming a government in the general interest” representing those political forces that will be able to participate in it, or at least commit to not voting for a vote of no confidence in the cabinet. The name of the new head of government is to be announced “in the coming days”.
– His priority will be the budget – he added. He announced that a special bill would be submitted to parliament by mid-December “to ensure the continuity of public service and life of the country in accordance with the constitution.”
This is a solution that allows the provisions of the 2024 budget to be applied next year. Administration and businesses will function, Macron assured, adding: “we will keep our commitments.”
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Macron: this situation requires a new political organization
Macron rejected accusations from the opposition that he had caused a political impasse by dissolving parliament this summer. and emphasized that he would not resign from his position. Addressing the citizens, he assured: “I will fulfill the mandate you have entrusted to me in a democratic way to the end.”
He explained that his decision to call early parliamentary elections “was not understood.” He admitted that “many” still criticize him for it, and argued that he wanted citizens to have their say in the elections. This happened, but after them a parliament was created in which no party “could claim to have a majority on its own.”
President Emmanuel Macron delivered a speechTERESA SUAREZ/PAP/EPA
– This situation requires a new political organization – Macron continued, assuring that he was trying to convince political forces to cooperate with each other, as is the case in neighboring countries where there are multi-party coalitions. Therefore, he appointed Michel Barnier as prime minister, who could gather a parliamentary majority.
However, Barnier's government was dismissed “because the extreme right and the extreme left were united in an anti-republican front and because the forces that ruled France only yesterday decided they would help them,” Macron said.
“They consciously decided to overthrow the budget and government of France.”
He stressed that he did not accept responsibility for the actions of parliamentarians who “consciously decided to overthrow the budget and government of France a few days before Christmas.”
He stated that the far-right National Rally (RN) had decided to support a no-confidence motion drafted by the far left whose text was “offensive” to RN voters and had thus chosen “confusion”. Macron also accused the leftist New Popular Front parties of becoming “accomplices” in actions aimed at “creating chaos.”
He argued, addressing the citizens, that the deputies, acting in this way, “were not thinking” about the lives and difficulties of the French, but “only about the presidential elections, about their preparation and provoking them.”
– A new era begins today. Everyone should work for France and a new compromise will have to be built, Macron said.
Main photo source: EPA/TERESA SUAREZ