Back from Saudi Arabia on Wednesday evening, Emmanuel Macron wants to speed up the process of choosing Michel Barnier’s successor and appoint a new Prime Minister in the coming hours

The question of succession at Matignon has now become crucial. While motions of censure against the Barnier government are being discussed in the National Assembly, the President of the Republic is determined not to leave the position vacant for too long.

“A matter of credibility for France”

Since his trip to Saudi Arabia, Emmanuel Macron has been consulting with his advisors to identify the next Prime Minister and outline the priorities of his future team. According to a former minister who has long been close to the government, the Head of State aims to appoint a new Prime Minister within 24 hours.

“He does not want to be without a government when Trump visits this weekend. It’s a matter of credibility for France,” explains a close associate of Macron. The U.S. President-elect is due to be in Paris on December 8 for the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral. “We only have 26 days to finalize the budget. He cannot afford to lose time. It’s the first time I feel that he wants to act quickly,” adds this source.

For its part, the Élysée remains tight-lipped about the appointment of a future Prime Minister until the vote on the motions of censure takes place. Among the names being mentioned are Sébastien Lecornu, the current Minister of the Armed Forces, and François Bayrou.