The former PM has instructed his party, Horizons, which is part of the broader right-of-center coalition backing Macron, to “be ready for spring” in case an early presidential election is called, senior party officials told Playbook Paris. The possibility of Macron’s resigning, though ruled out by the president, has been discussed as a solution to … Read more
While his presidential ambitions are an open secret, Philippe’s announcement was unexpected, coming as Macron intensifies efforts to appoint a new prime minister and holds marathon talks with politicians of various hues that have yet to produce a compromise. French ministers have been serving as caretakers since July, when they resigned following a snap election that … Read more
“I’m preparing ideas that I will suggest to the French. What I will propose will be massive. The French will decide,” said Philippe, who was France’s prime minister from 2017 to 2020, in an interview with French weekly Le Point. “People often say that when it comes to the presidential election, [candidates] must want it … Read more
The left-wing alliance for the moment has not endorsed coalitions that would go beyond its own camp. But Macron’s camp is betting on internal division within the left-wing alliance, for instance between the more moderate socialists and the most radical from the France Unbowed movement. Coalition negotiations are almost uncharted territory in France’s recent history … Read more
The center cannot hold? Then there’s former Prime Minister Philippe, who has conspicuously been keeping his distance — even disappearing to take the sea air in Le Havre, a Normandy port whose mayor he became in 2020. Philippe, who served as PM from 2017 to 2020, used to be seen as the country’s next centrist … Read more
