Rudolph Angler François Bayrou, 73, was appointed as France’s new prime minister after Michel Barnier’s government fell on 4 December. President Emmanuel Macron announced Bayrou’s selection following a two-hour meeting at the Elysée Palace on Friday morning. Bayrou, leader of the centrist Democratic Movement (MoDem), is considered a loyal Macron ally.
Bayrou enjoys some support from far-right National Rally (RN) MPs but lacks unanimous backing across the political spectrum. Philippe Ballard, an RN MP, said, “If this hypothesis is confirmed, we’ll give him a chance, as we did with Michel Barnier.” However, the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party announced plans to propose a no-confidence vote against Bayrou.
Challenges Ahead for Bayrou’s Leadership
Michel Barnier was ousted in a no-confidence vote on 4 December after bypassing parliament to adopt a social security budget. Bayrou’s primary challenge will be to form a cabinet that avoids a similar fate in the bitterly divided lower house. The new government also faces the monumental task of passing France’s 2025 budget.
Macron returned early from a trip to Poland to finalize Bayrou’s appointment, missing a promised 48-hour deadline. Parliament remains fractured into three major blocs with no clear majority following snap elections called by Macron in the summer. The coming days will reveal Bayrou’s cabinet and test his ability to stabilize France’s divided political landscape.