Who will be the new Prime Minister? Lombard, Vautrin, Faure... All the names mentioned
The essentials
- Following the fall of François Bayrou's government , overthrown by a vote of confidence in the National Assembly on September 8, a new Prime Minister must be appointed.
- Emmanuel Macron plans to appoint a new prime minister "in the next few days," but has not set a specific deadline. He is being urged to act quickly by the political class, which is warning of the deadline for voting on the 2026 budget and the social unrest brewing on September 10 and 18. Another deadline is September 22, the date on which Emmanuel Macron will fly to the United Nations summit.
- The head of state would like to appoint a new prime minister from the central bloc capable of holding together the common core coalition with the right while engaging in negotiations with the social democratic left. The problem is that the LR does not want to take part in a government leaning too far to the left, and the PS is ready to govern, but only on the condition that it obtains Matignon and a left-wing government.
- Several names are circulating for Matignon and among the favorites to become Prime Minister: those of ministers like Sébastien Lecornu, Catherine Vautrin, Eric Lombard; those of politicians from the right or left but open to dialogue including Xavier Bertrand, Bernard Cazeneuve, Jean-Louis Borloo or Charles de Courson; or those of more technical profiles like Pierre Moscovici. The complete list of prospective candidates .
- If Emmanuel Macron's new Prime Minister wishes to remain in the Prime Minister's seat, he will have to muster a majority based on explicit support or a "no-censorship" agreement with part of the opposition. What configuration could allow 289 MPs to not censure the next government a priori? Test out the possible scenarios using Datan's simulator:
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Olivier Faure is still a candidate to become the next Prime Minister. The Socialist Party leader continues to call for the appointment of a left-wing figure to the Prime Minister's office and believes on France Inter that it is "time to coexist." "We want change, so that the French people who are going to demonstrate and express their exasperation can find a political outlet through change that cannot be a continuation of what we have known for a long time," he insisted. The MP added that he has not yet been contacted by Emmanuel Macron, although another Socialist Party official assured Le Parisien that the President "called" Olivier Faure.
The President of the National Assembly announced that she was "available to work in the interests of my country, wherever it is necessary," particularly at Matignon, speaking to RTL. Yaël Braun-Pivet said she was "obviously" ready to trade the Assembly perch for the Prime Minister's office if she were approached by Emmanuel Macron, while assuring that she was not a "candidate": "If in the future it was necessary to take on this mission, obviously I would not balk, but it is the choice of the President of the Republic."
The future Prime Minister must be able to negotiate to find acceptable compromises for a broad coalition that will ensure him a majority in the National Assembly, according to Gabriel Attal. On TF1, the former Prime Minister called for "the President to call a Prime Minister who does not come from politics, a negotiator." The MP gave examples of profiles: "It could be someone from the world of unions, associations, who can bring all the political party leaders together on the same table." "This is what is being done in the European countries around us," insists the MP, who believes that "not everything can be decided from the Élysée Palace or even from Matignon." According to him, the President of the Republic has "taken note" of this idea.
Overthrown Monday evening by a vote of confidence, François Bayrou will submit his resignation to the President of the Republic this Tuesday "around noon," according to BFMTV. Emmanuel Macron has indicated that he will accept it and must now accelerate the search for a new Prime Minister.
61% of French people want the National Assembly dissolved after the fall of François Bayrou's government, according to an Ifop poll for LCI conducted this Monday evening. That's more than one in two French people. This figure is consistent with several demands and calls from various groups in the National Assembly, including LFI and the RN. However, it would appear that, judging by his press release, Emmanuel Macron is more interested in appointing a new Prime Minister than in dissolving the lower house.
At 65, Catherine Vautrin, Minister of Health, Solidarity, and Families under François Bayrou, is from the right-wing Republican Party, LR. She was already tipped to run for Prime Minister's office in 2022. However, Élisabeth Borne beat her to the punch, particularly under pressure from Macron supporters who denounced her participation in the mobilization against same-sex marriage. But since then, her entire image has changed: according to a Renaissance executive, quoted by the newspaper Le Parisien , Emmanuel Macron regrets not having appointed her in 2022. Since her handling of the end-of-life issue, Catherine Vautrin has managed to regain the president's esteem. As a result, her name often comes up in negotiations for Prime Minister's office.
Appointed Minister of the Armed Forces in 2022, Sébastien Lecornu is one of the surviving figures from Emmanuel Macron's second term. He was also Minister of Overseas Territories from 2020 to 2022. In addition to his experience, he is also close to the President of the Republic: he even joined him this summer at Fort de Brégançon to spend a few days of vacation. Since his exclusion from the Les Républicains party, he has been a member of the presidential party LREM (now Renaissance). But while his name has been circulating in recent days, it is not certain that he would accept the post. He had thus shown some reluctance at the prospect of finding himself at Matignon during an interview with the newspaper Le Parisien .
He is reportedly one of the favorites for the post of Prime Minister, according to the newspaper Ouest-France . Éric Lombard is appointed Minister of the Economy in 2024. A former director general of the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, he is a figure close to social democracy. Aged 67, his background could tick several boxes: his expertise in public finances is an asset. He is also known for being a good listener, without presidential ambitions. Finally, he gets along well with Olivier Faure's left, which could facilitate alliances.
For RN MP Louis Aliot, there is no question of the National Rally party supporting a future minister if he or she is left-wing. "If there is a left-wing Prime Minister, he or she will be censored a priori," Louis Aliot declared on BFMTV . As a reminder, the president of the RN MPs, Marine Le Pen, is calling for a new dissolution. All of the MPs from the far-right party voted against confidence in François Bayrou and his government.
François Bayrou's government resigned on Tuesday, September 9, and Emmanuel Macron must appoint a new Prime Minister for the fifth time since the start of his second term in 2022. The head of state has been considering this issue for two weeks, and many names are circulating as potential replacements. While some are naturally obvious, others are persistently recurrent. Finally, other candidates could cause a surprise.
Rumor has it that Emmanuel Macron wants to act quickly and appoint a person before September 18, the date on which the inter-union group is calling for a general strike. The President's idea would be to have a head of government capable of receiving the unions to avoid being on the front line facing the anger. Appointing a Prime Minister before the 18th is also a way for Emmanuel Macron to ensure that the executive is operational before turning to the United Nations summit where he plans to officially recognize the State of Palestine. But the President of the Republic is not known for rushing into decisions: for example, he took two months to appoint Michel Barnier to Matignon in 2024. Fine, but this time things could speed up: "He's already had two weeks to prepare for it," an advisor told Le Parisien , ironically, referring to François Bayrou's (surprise) announcement that he would submit to a vote of confidence on August 25. The daily newspaper recalls the identikit portrait of the future tenant of Matignon according to the head of state: "a personality from his camp, embodying rather the left wing, capable of opening conclusive negotiations with the Socialist Party, on the future budget."
Emmanuel Macron could once again be tempted to appoint a figure from the common core. Several members of the government are also mentioned, such as the Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu , who was already considered during previous reshuffles. "He's Macron's buddy, they spent the summer together, in Brégançon or on the phone," a Macronist confided to Le Parisien . Loyal and close to the head of state, his regal profile could convince Emmanuel Macron - finally - to entrust him with the keys to the government. Indeed, the Minister of the Armed Forces recently "made phone calls to the left," Politico reported on Monday, September 8. On the other end of the line: mayors, local elected officials, to whom "he has let it be known that he is ready to open up to the left," continues a long-time Macronist. But he is not the only one mentioned.
Labor Minister Catherine Vautrin could pull it off. The former LR president almost got appointed to Matignon in 2022. Precisely, "it will be Vautrin or Darmanin, because Lecornu is Poulidor. He will always be the eternal second," analyzes a source of the president to Le Parisien. According to a Renaissance executive, the head of state "regrets" not having appointed her two years earlier and "is angry with all those who pushed him to choose Elisabeth Borne." Catherine Vautrin "called left-wing elected officials she knows well," Politico revealed on Monday, September 8.
While these profiles all come from the right, the name of a minister who is a little more compatible with the left is also mentioned: that of the Minister of the Economy , Eric Lombard. The former business leader is also a friend of François Hollande and Olivier Faure. As a former member of the Socialist Party - a relationship that ended 20 years ago - the minister "speaks their language," one of his colleagues told Franceinfo . He could act as a bridge between the central bloc and the left, as he defends labor, opposes the reinstatement of the wealth tax (ISF) and the suspension of pension reform, but remains open to the idea of taxing the richest. "I prefer him to Bernard Cazeneuve," a left-wing senator told Franceinfo. As of Saturday, September 6, Eric Lombard was "forming his cabinet," mocked a government advisor grilled by Politico. For the time being, Emmanuel Macron "is aiming for a new attempt with a Prime Minister from his home country, like Darmanin or Lecornu, Vautrin, who would be responsible for finding an agreement," confided a former minister in the columns of France Info , Monday, September 8. Note that the name of Gérald Darmanin is also favored by a part of the central bloc who know his compatibility with the right.
A new Prime Minister compatible with the right?Other profiles outside the current government could also be considered by Emmanuel Macron. Many of those mentioned behind the scenes are figures close to the right: François Baroin, Christine Lagarde, Thierry Breton , and Roland Lescure, who was still a minister last year. Between their experience, unity, and longtime allies of the president, their names have already been mentioned in the past and could quickly return to the forefront. Xavier Bertrand 's name has also been mentioned and has been coming up repeatedly in recent days. A former right-wing MP and several times minister under the presidency of Jacques Chirac and then Nicolas Sarkozy, the president of the Hauts-de-France region "was an opponent of the President of the Republic, knew how to present a republican front, and he speaks to the socialists. That already ticks a lot of boxes," acknowledged a close friend of the head of state, Le Parisien reported on Monday, September 8. "Xavier Bertrand, at least, isn't a socialist. The evolution is positive," Bruno Retailleau even declared on LCI this Sunday. Laurent Wauquiez, for his part, had mentioned Xavier Bertrand's name a few moments earlier, rather spontaneously, on LCI. Unless there's a surprise?
The founder of the UDI, Jean-Louis Borloo, is mentioned in the columns of Politico . The man returned to action during the summer university of the party he founded, on the theme of "500 days to raise France." A formula that makes sense, a few weeks before a potential reshuffle. The current president of the UDI, Hervé Marseille, assures the political media that Jean-Louis Borloo is "available" and has "plenty of ideas." As a reminder, Jean-Louis Borloo was a European deputy, Minister Delegate for Cities, Employment under Chirac, and Economy and Ecology under Sarkozy, before sitting in the National Assembly for four years as a deputy for the North. In 2017, he publicly supported Emmanuel Macron in the presidential campaign. The name of Jean Castex - former tenant of Matignon and now head of the RATP - is also put forward.
Or the temptation of a Prime Minister from the left?Emmanuel Macron is also reportedly exploring the possibility of a left-wing Prime Minister. Politico reports intercepting a presidential invitation sent to a left-wing figure to "discuss the country's political situation and discuss (...) his future in a future government team." In this case, the name of Bernard Cazeneuve , already mentioned during previous transfers of power at Matignon, would naturally come up again. François Hollande's former Prime Minister could allow the head of state to "show that he has finally understood the lessons of dissolution," a leader of the central bloc believes in Le Parisien. This is especially true since the Socialist Party (PS) has distanced itself from LFI with a view to dissolution, as has Bernard Cazeneuve. A programmatic agreement between the PS and LFI, such as the one negotiated with the NFP in 2024, "does not seem conceivable," the leader of the Socialist deputies, Boris Vallaud, said in Libération. In the same vein, the name of Carole Delga could be mentioned. The president of the Occitanie region, however, has never officially been among those considered and has not had any recent discussions with the head of state.
However, will a Socialist Party (PS) member accept the mission? "No one in our party will be so irresponsible as to fall into a trap for idiots. No government in the current configuration has a majority. Why would a part of the left take that risk?" a party heavyweight says in the columns of Le Parisien. Yet, the PS continues to call for a left-wing Prime Minister, and Olivier Faure has even volunteered. He has, however, promised a government and a policy of rupture in the event of his appointment—a priori unlikely—as Prime Minister. But he could force the President of the Republic to reconsider the equation: by entrusting the keys to a center-left and center government, without LR, and by obtaining a broad non-censorship agreement with a large part of the left, including LR, the score holds.
For its part, La Dépêche du Midi puts forward the name of Pierre Moscovici , former Minister of the Economy under François Hollande. His position as First President of the Court of Auditors could appear to be a major advantage in the eyes of Emmanuel Macron. While the name of a left-wing prime ministerial candidate has not been finalized, the presidential camp is now acknowledging its desire to cede ground to the Socialist Party. "I think we need to find a consensus with the Socialist Party. It's better to give them a few billion than to pay for a political crisis, there's no doubt about that," assures Macronist MP Jean-René Cazeneuve, former budget rapporteur, on France Info . "We're going to have to make a gesture," adds a second parliamentarian, "perhaps on pension reform, more certainly on the wealth tax," he says. "If we're in Matignon, we'll be able to do interesting things quickly. If we're not, we'll be ready to go to the negotiating table, but with a knife between our teeth," warns a heavyweight from the pink party.
Profiles capable of linking the central block to the leftWhether right or left, Emmanuel Macron seems to be looking for someone capable of rallying support beyond his own party and capable of making compromises, the only way to hope to stay at Matignon for more than a few days. He is said to have requested a report on Jean-Michel Blanquer's summer university, which brought together politicians from diverse backgrounds but with the common point of pleading for dialogue: Bernard Cazeneuve , Edouard Philippe , Jérôme Guedj and Bruno Retailleau .
Rare profiles that embrace or are close to government policy and meet the criteria of compatibility with the social-democratic left would also be considered. This is the case of MP Liot and budget rapporteur Charles de Courson. According to a parliamentary source at CNews, the main interested party "could consider assuming the role of Prime Minister" if the National Assembly were to reject the vote of confidence. "He is a cautious man, from the right, who can speak to the left," the group confides. Finally, Jean-Yves Le Drian is presented as a "credible option" by some, recalls Le Parisien .
A Prime Minister from the National Rally or from civil society... These other optionsWhile Emmanuel Macron's preference seems to be for a Prime Minister from the central bloc, or at most from the LR or the social-democratic left, he could be confronted with the reality on the ground: the far right is the most numerous in the Assembly and has already reached agreements with the LR group on certain texts. "Today, the only thing that works is Retailleau... with the RN," analyzed a socialist strategist to Politico. A calculation that the head of state has surely already made, but to which there is little chance that he will give in, unless forced to do so.
And finally, what if the next Prime Minister were a civil society figure? In that case, the former general secretary of the CFDT, whose name had already been circulating, Laurent Berger , could be the favorite. La Dépêche du Midi also cites the relatively economic profiles of Pascal Demurger , who was CEO of MAIF, that of the president of the Michelin group from 2012 to 2019 and then of Renault since January 2019, Jean-Dominique Senard, or even Emmanuel Faber , former CEO of Danone from 2014 to 2021.
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