French President Emmanuel Macron has named François Bayrou as his fourth prime minister this year, tasking the 73-year-old centrist with navigating France out of its second political crisis in six months.
Bayrou’s immediate priority will be to pass a law rolling over the 2024 budget, a move made critical by the parliamentary stalemate that led to former PM Michel Barnier’s ouster.
Bayrou, a close Macron ally and founder of the Democratic Movement (MoDem) party, faces the daunting challenge of governing with a hung parliament divided into three rival factions. His alignment with Macron, who faces low approval ratings, may compound the difficulties of gaining legislative support.
Bayrou’s appointment has drawn mixed reactions. Far-right National Rally (RN) leaders, Jordan Bardella and Marine Le Pen, refrained from immediate calls for no-confidence votes but urged Bayrou to consider opposition budget priorities. On the left, Communist leader Fabien Roussel struck a conciliatory tone, while Greens and far-left France Unbowed leaders signaled opposition, warning against neglecting tax and pension reforms.
The divided National Assembly, rendered nearly ungovernable after Macron’s June snap elections, will make passing legislation a daily struggle for Bayrou. The looming 2025 budget bill, which requires significant austerity to address France’s 6% deficit, could define his tenure.
Macron’s leadership remains under scrutiny, with doubts over his ability to complete his second term, which ends in 2027. The political gridlock has raised borrowing costs and cast uncertainty over France’s role in Europe, particularly as global challenges grow.
Despite his uphill battle, Bayrou has extensive experience. A three-time presidential candidate and former mayor of Pau, he briefly served as justice minister in 2017 before stepping down amid a fraud investigation—charges from which he was recently cleared.
Macron hopes Bayrou can stabilise the government at least until July, when a new parliamentary election could be held. However, failure to avert further crises will likely bring both Bayrou’s and Macron’s political futures under intense scrutiny.
Melissa Enoch
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