Marine Le Pen and her entourage have vehemently denied reports of a phone call between herself and President Emmanuel Macron regarding the nomination of Michel Barnier as Prime Minister. Reports emerged that Macron had called Le Pen to confirm that the Rassemblement National did not have a policy of automatic censorship against Barnier, who was appointed Prime Minister shortly after the alleged phone call. Despite France Inter, Le Journal du Dimanche, and Valeurs Actuelles all reporting on the call, Le Pen stated that she had not spoken with Macron on Thursday.
Despite denying the phone call with Macron, one of Le Pen’s close deputies confirmed that there had been a call with Thierry Solère, described as an Elysée intermediary to the leader of the far right. Solère had apparently validated the choice of Barnier as Prime Minister, either on behalf of Macron himself or as his unofficial advisor. Le Pen, during her parliamentary comeback, chose to withhold judgement on Barnier, whom she has not yet met. While she acknowledged that he would be under scrutiny, she emphasized that he was not a direct threat but rather a mathematical fact.
Le Pen expressed reluctance to immediately censor Barnier following his speech outlining his government’s policies, and indicated that the first real obstacle for the new Prime Minister would be the budget vote, which the Rassemblement National is unlikely to support. In the event that the budget is adopted under Article 49.3 of the Constitution, it remains to be seen if Barnier will be censored. The two-time presidential runner-up is already preparing to set boundaries with the Macron administration, ensuring she does not appear too accommodating after previously being criticized for attending private dinners with prominent Macron allies.
In her address from her parliamentary office, Le Pen made it clear that there would be no blank check for the Macron government. She stressed that the Rassemblement National will outline their red lines and key measures that they believe are necessary in order to respect the votes of their 11 million supporters. Le Pen warned that if the French people were once again neglected or mistreated, they would not hesitate to censor the government. She emphasized the need to be transparent and clear in their demands in the coming weeks in order to avoid being perceived as complicit with the Macron administration.
