As rumours circulate throughout the political world and what it represents, one name seems to tick all the boxes, combining experience, firmness and, if need be, flexibility. Act 1, scene 3: will the epilogue take place today? Yes, according to sources close to the matter who spoke to H24 MEDIA.

The suspense remains. Still no white smoke on the horizon, the Élysée Palace is delaying revealing the name of the next Prime Minister, more than a month after Gabriel Attal officially resigned from the government. The silence persists, despite growing expectations.

Leads and hypotheses

Bernard Cazeneuve, Xavier Bertrand… Emmanuel Macron is exploring various options for Matignon. Among them, one option stands out: that of Michel Barnier, former LR minister and European Commissioner. According to information obtained by BFMTV from concordant Republican sources, this option is considered ‘serious’ by the Head of State.

Behind the scenes of the choice

Laurent Wauquiez, chairman of the La Droite républicaine group in the National Assembly, is keeping a low profile. ‘Michel Barnier is a personality whom Laurent Wauquiez likes a lot, but he remains faithful to his line: the appointment of the Prime Minister is the exclusive prerogative of the President’, explains his entourage.

The main person concerned, Michel Barnier, remains silent. However, sources report that last July, he was received by Alexis Kohler, Secretary General of the Élysée Palace and a close associate of the President, to discuss the situation. In recent days, Barnier is said to have had further discussions with the Élysée Palace. ‘Apparently, he has found the incensurability necklace and has had the opportunity to make it known’, joked a Republican source.

An experienced personality

For Mathieu Lefèvre, Renaissance MP and close associate of Gérald Darmanin, Michel Barnier embodies stability: ‘He is one of those who could emerge within the central bloc and bring that much sought-after stability.’ The man has a long career behind him, first elected as a Member of Parliament in 1978, and having held several ministerial posts in the Balladur, Juppé, Raffarin and Fillon governments. In 2009, he became a Member of the European Parliament and was appointed European Commissioner. His role as Brexit negotiator also catapulted him to international prominence.

The wait continues, but Michel Barnier’s name seems to be emerging as an increasingly credible option for Matignon.