“I always have time to talk about the president, I love my president! “, proclaims, playfully, a Renaissance deputy (RE) in the room of the Four Columns of the Assembly. It is certain that when we ask the elected representatives of the majority – and especially at Renaissance – to talk about Emmanuel Macron, they are not many to be asked. On the other hand, there will still be many of them, this Wednesday evening, in front of their screen, to follow the second part of the interview with the Head of State on France 2, in the political program The Event. “We always expect something from the president, enthuses Ile-de-France MP Mathieu Lefèvre. He will tell us his determination again, I have no doubt about that. »
“There are concerns, it’s normal, about how we’re going to spend the winter, recognizes the RE deputy for Hauts-de-Seine Prisca Thevenot. I expect pedagogy and transparency in tone from him. He is sometimes criticized, moreover, but I hope he will continue! “Same story on the side of the allies of the MoDem, as for the deputy of Yvelines Bruno Millienne, who will” listen to him carefully “. Especially since he “is good at this kind of exercise, he will do the job. The spell is therefore not broken, despite the first six months of a second term less flamboyant than the first. “The President of the Republic has demonstrated how much he protects the French: inflation here is the lowest in Europe,” says Mathieu Lefèvre. “What is complicated is that we have the impression of only finding ourselves managing crises, notes Bruno Millienne. As a result, it is more complicated to instill a course. We will need a moment of calm to leave. »
“He fixes the lines”
This is what some members of the majority expect from this second part of the interview on France 2. Two weeks after the international questions, this Wednesday evening will be devoted to domestic subjects. All monopolized as he is by the international situation, and in the first place the war in Ukraine, has Emmanuel Macron, precisely, abandoned the interior? The deputies questioned are unanimous in believing that it is not. And that in any case, the situation abroad has very direct consequences within the borders. “He is always on the move and continues the reforms despite the war in Ukraine: yesterday the reform of unemployment insurance, tomorrow pensions”, assures Mathieu Lefèvre.
“The president ranks, it’s normal”, explains for his part the deputy RE of Yvelines Karl Olive. Bruno Millienne believes, meanwhile, that Emmanuel Macron “is always very vigilant internally”, that “it is he who sets the lines and then the government to govern”. Almost (we said almost) a return to a less activist presidency than that of Nicolas Sarkozy. “We do not need a president who jumps on every news item”, sweeps the Breton deputy of the MoDem Erwan Balanant.
Not unhappy with the situation
The parliamentarians interviewed recognize that the relative majority also requires Emmanuel Macron, in a way, to reassess his role. “He continues his action, but in new political modalities”, sums up Prisca Thevenot. Not a problem for Bruno Millienne, who believes that a strong Parliament, as long as we know how to “handle” it, “begets a strong government and a strong president”.
No apparent regret, therefore, concerning this new political landscape: “It’s time for Parliament”, we hear, without complaining. “The question is not whether the president has melted into this new mould, that’s how it is,” adds Prisca Thevenot. Patrick Vignal, deputy of the left wing of Renaissance, goes even further. For him, seeing Emmanuel Macron devote himself to the international is good – “he can help us solve this war! -, but in addition, “we must leave more freedom to the Prime Minister, a leftist and disinterested woman. It is not the role of the president to be more present on the domestic scene. »
A departure at the end of this mandate
The president was only re-elected six months ago, and the Macron era is far from over. But there are sometimes surprising scenes: in recent weeks, when senior executives of the majority meet journalists under the seal of secrecy, the name of Emmanuel Macron is not always mentioned. Should we see this as proof of the progressive demonetization of his word, he who will not be able to stand again in 2017. Some deputies recognize that this “necessarily changes the situation, and it is not his doing. Maybe it’s a shame, ”breathes one of them.
Among the most macronists, who must see a certain autonomy of the majority, we suggest that he could come back … In 2032. “Yes, but we are not in Russia”, pings a Horizon deputy, member of the majority, but who rolls for Édouard Philippe. This should not be seen as the start of a sling: on the contrary, Emmanuel Macron is undoubtedly still what best brings together the majority. But the day he’s gone, it might be different.