French President Emmanuel Macron was meeting allies and senior politicians on Thursday as he sought to swiftly appoint a new prime minister, a day after far-right and leftist lawmakers toppled Michel Barnier’s minority government.
Francois Bayrou, whose name is often cited by French media as a possible successor to Barnier, was due to have lunch with Macron, Le Parisien newspaper and other media reported. Bayrou is a veteran centrist politician and a close Macron ally.
Outgoing defence minister Sebastien Lecornu is also cited as a possible candidate for prime minister. There was no word yet of a possible Macron meeting with him.
Three sources told Reuters on Wednesday that Macron aimed to appoint a replacement swiftly, with one saying he wanted to do so before a ceremony on Saturday to reopen Notre-Dame Cathedral – renovated after a devastating fire. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is among world leaders expected to attend.
Allies in Macron’s own camp joined the chorus urging swift action. After the late June and early July snap elections, it took Macron nearly two months to appoint Barnier.
“I recommend that he proceed quickly to the appointment of a prime minister, it’s important, we must not leave things up in the air,” National Assembly president Yael Braun-Pivet told France Inter radio before meeting Macron around noon.
Macron, who is due to give a televised address to the nation at 8pm (1900 GMT), will also meet the head of the Senate at 1400 GMT, French media said.
Barnier, a veteran conservative who became prime minister barely three months ago, will become the shortest-serving prime minister in modern French history when Macron approves his resignation.
The two men met for over an hour on Thursday morning, French media said. Barnier had been due to hand in his resignation during that meeting but there was still no official confirmation after he left the Elysee presidential palace.
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