French presidency denies report that Macron said ‘government to fall’
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France's President Emmanuel Macron (right) reportedly predicted that the government of Prime Minister Michel Barnier (left) would soon fall, due to far-right pressure.
PHOTO: REUTERS
PARIS - The French presidency on Nov 26 issued a categorical denial that President Emmanuel Macron had predicted that the government of Prime Minister Michel Barnier would soon fall due to a motion of no confidence backed by the far-right.
In a highly unusual move, the presidency used its official account on X - @Elysee - to deny the story, published in the Le Parisien daily.
The controversy comes a day after French far-right figurehead Marine Le Pen threatened to back a no-confidence motion that could topple the government of Mr Barnier in a standoff over the Budget.
She said after crunch talks both sides were “entrenched” in their positions.
Le Parisien earlier reported that the president told close aides in the gardens of the Elysee Palace on Nov 25: “The government is going to fall. She (Marine Le Pen) is going to vote for the no-confidence motion at some point, and sooner than we think.”
The presidency commented on X: “The Elysee denies that such remarks were made. The president of the republic is not a commentator on current events. The government is working and the country needs stability.”
But the political editor of Le Parisien, Ms Marion Mourgue, wrote on X that the paper “stands by its report. It has been cross-checked and confirmed by several sources.”
Months of political tensions since right-winger Mr Barnier became prime minister at the helm of a minority government appointed by Mr Macron in the wake of this summer’s elections are coming to a head over the Budget, which has yet to be approved by parliament.
The opposition on all sides of the spectrum have denounced the Budget, prompting Mr Barnier to consider brandishing the weapon of article 49.3 of the constitution which allows a government to force through legislation without a vote in Parliament.
However, that could prompt Ms Le Pen’s far right National Rally (RN) to team up in an unholy alliance with the left-wing bloc in parliament and find enough numbers to topple the government in a confidence vote.
Further complicating the situation is the constitutional rule in France that there must be a one-year gap between legislative elections, meaning that Mr Macron cannot call polls until the summer to resolve what would be a major political crisis. AFP
