Elisabeth Borne will deliver her general policy speech at the Assembly at 3 p.m. And she will repeat the exercise by appearing before the senators at 9 p.m. It’s a crucial day, the Prime Minister has no room for error. She must pass her big O, her big oral against the parliamentarians.
She knows that she will find herself on the front line in the Assembly and the Senate in the coming months. Despite the absence of a vote of confidence, she must demonstrate her authority, display her political grip, including in the face of her own majority. Because while she advocated a government of combat, tightened, she finds herself at the head of a government concocted at the Elysée. A bloated government with ministers like Bruno Le Maire or Gérald Darmanin in ambush.
General policy discourse also passes through incarnation. It is a difficult exercise. The Assembly cauldron is impressive. It’s a classic rite of passage for a new prime minister, but sometimes a dangerous one. Pierre Bérégovoy, the last Prime Minister of François Mitterrand, had thus been caught in his own trap when he denounced corruption and aroused the bronca. Conversely, Michel Rocard, had been able to make a lasting impression by explaining from the top of the rostrum that it was also necessary to repair broken mailboxes and broken down elevators.
Elisabeth Borne must therefore find her style. Succeed in getting out of her corseted attitude, while she is in private against her public image. This is the Pécresse syndrome. The difficulty of breaking the armor can lead to political bankruptcy.
She will also have to draw up the government’s roadmap for the months to come. First, on purchasing power, of course. But there is no question of ignoring the pension reform. The countdown has begun since this emblematic reform must come into force in a year, in the summer of 2023 according to the wishes of the Head of State. Elisabeth Borne will have to explain how she intends to go about not creating a new showdown in the country.
The opportunity also to explain how it intends to govern differently, taking into account the oppositions. But also the disillusionment of the French who massively abstained during the last elections.