As the end of his first five-year term approaches, the French president must soon appoint a new prime minister.
by AFP
YouThat page turns on Friday as Macron’s first five-year term ends at midnight. But the wait for the appointment of the next prime minister, responsible for giving new impetus to June’s legislative elections, continues.
Jean Castex will be in the beginning
When will Prime Minister Jean Castex bring his resignation letter to the head of state? Neither Elysee nor Mattignon gave any indication, while nothing constitutionally obliges them to step down before the start of a second five-year term.
This weekend, Jean Casteux has one last visit on his agenda: to lead the French delegation for demobilization to the Vatican of Explorers on Sunday and then the Hermit Charles de Foucault.
Since then, the scenario for departure early next week is taking shape. “It seemed to me that the prime minister would still be there when he went to the Vatican on Sunday. These are really Jean Castex’s last days at Matignon,” LREM boss Stanislas Guerrini said on France 2.
“The resignation will take place on Monday”, believes a majority official.
It remains to be seen whether his successor will be appointed in the process and the time frame within which the new government team will be formed.
Meanwhile, Jean Casteaux said goodbye to Matignon employees on Wednesday, then invited ministers, on Thursday evening, to a buffet in the gardens with her spouse.
A woman in Matignon?
The future head of government – a woman a priority – should therefore be hard at work for the first council of ministers on Wednesday or the following days, as the president’s relatives believe.
But, in absolute terms, anything is possible.
“It is a custom, a republican tradition that the prime minister submits his resignation when a new president of the republic is elected. He is not obliged to do so, but it is a republican tradition,” Panthéon-Sorbonne told AFP. Dominic Rousseau, professor of constitutional law at the university, explains.
In the event of re-election, he can do so on the day after the election – while leaving the cohabitation – or at the beginning of a new mandate.
In theory, the prime minister could keep up with current affairs until the June 12 and 19 June legislative elections.
He will submit his resignation to the President the day after the election. “It is not a written rule, but it is a practice that has always been respected since 1958”, notes the constitutionalists, recalling the precedent of Georges Pompidou after General de Gaulle’s re-election in 1965.
Macron maintains suspense
Emmanuel Macron assured in Berlin on Monday that he already knew who his next prime minister would be, endowed with a “social”, “ecological” and “productive” profile according to him.
Labor Minister Elisabeth Bourne, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, former Socialist Minister of Social Affairs Marisol Touren … Many names with a “technical” profile are circulating.
Some are calling on the head of state not to delay any longer, while leftist forces, united behind Jean-Luc Mélenchon, are taking center stage at the start of the campaign.
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