On the exact date of the declaration of candidacy, very few people will be in the loop. A priori: Brigitte Macron – the First Lady -, Clément Léonarduzzi, special adviser to the president, and Alexis Kohler, the secretary general of the Elysée. “More means there will be leaksexplains a history of Macronie.And then it’s very instinctive“a declaration of candidacy, we are told.
Do not let go of the date, it allows nothing to freeze. To have flexibility. Emmanuel Macron’s supporters therefore stand ready, without any visibility, and are almost forced to read coffee grounds to find the slightest clue.
And let it be clear: there will be no written note that says “Watch out, it’s tomorrow.“: “As it talks too much, it will inevitably come out.” Tip delivered by ministers: diaries. At this stage, everyone organizes themselves more or less as they want. Trips are planned until next Friday, including for the Prime Minister. “When the declaration of candidacy becomes clearer, we will see disconnected appointments”, explains a member of the government.
There are also dates from which the president cannot escape. You hear a lot about the Salon de l’Agriculture which opens its doors on February 26th. But 48 hours before, another appointment, passed unnoticed, can also rush things. This Wednesday, the Senate hears Jacqueline Gourault, proposed by the Elysée to integrate the Constitutional Council.
If the senators validate her appointment, Jacqueline Gourault will have to leave the government and be replaced. Will she be the only one to leave? Should other ministers be taken out to join a campaign system, such as Gabriel Attal, for example, as a spokesperson? The Elysée says today that “everyone has a vocation to stay in government, without excluding the idea of two or three adjustments if necessary.“That too is one of the weak signals scrutinized to identify when the president will come out of the woods.