What we know about the allegations of an “agreement” between Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron

The “Journal du dimanche” mentions a telephone call between the head of state and the head of the National Rally deputies, before the appointment of the new head of government. The former presidential candidate denies it.

Did the National Rally weigh in the choice to appoint Michel Barnier to Matignon? This is what is affirmed The Sunday Journal in an article published on Saturday, September 7. The weekly assures that Emmanuel Macron spent a “secret deal” with Marine Le Pen, the leader of the RN deputies, on Thursday, before appointing the former minister and European commissioner, a member of the Republicans, to the post of Prime Minister. The former presidential candidate denied these assertions, which members of the New Popular Front seized on to denounce a “agreement” between the president and his far-right rival.

The “JDD” mentions a telephone call between Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen

According to the story given by the JDD, “corroborated by several sources from both sides”Emmanuel Macron has mandated Thierry Solère, former LR deputy and close to the president, for “take the temperature” with the RN on the choice of Michel Barnier as Prime Minister. Thierry Solère has already acted as a “facilitator” between the presidential camp and the RN, by organizing a dinner at his home between the former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and Marine Le Pen.

The Elysée wants to avoid exposing the future head of government to a censure by the National Assembly, where the extreme right is strong with 126 deputies, 142 if we count the allies of Eric Ciotti. Jean-Philippe Tanguy, delegate president of the RN group in the National Assembly, has already described Michel Barnier as “fossil” And “stupid politician” on France Inter. The MP backtracked three days later on BFMTV, believing that he “would not have[t] not due [s]’express thus”.

THE JDD claims that the President of the Republic himself called Marine Le Pen on Thursday, before the Elysée announced the nomination of the former European Commissioner from the ranks of the Republicans. The media specifies that Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen “deny any exchange on Thursday” and that“Neither party has commented on Thierry Solère’s role in these discussions.”

Marine Le Pen denies any exchange

For Marine Le Pen, Emmanuel Macron has certainly “took into account (…) the criteria set by the National Rally in the choice of its Prime Minister”as she stated in an interview with The Tribune SundayBut the head of the RN deputies has, on the other hand, denied having actively participated in the choice of Michel Barnier for Matignon. “I am not Emmanuel Macron’s HR director”, she repeated in front of the press on Sunday, during her political return to Hénin-Beaumont (Pas-de-Calais). “I think that only a Prime Minister of the National Rally can implement the National Rally’s project“national ent”she added. While she welcomed the research of the “compromise” undertaken by Michel Barnier, she also affirmed that she had not “no exchange with Emmanuel Macron” Thursday, contrary to what the JDD.

Marine Le Pen said she hoped the new Prime Minister would be “respectful of what the 11 million voters of the National Rally want”. “Mr Barnier must not forget the result of the European elections [remportées par le RN]“she also stressed, announcing that the RN would not hesitate to “censor the government.”

Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally (RN), declared on Saturday that the party had chosen to grant him the “benefit of the doubt”. Michel Barnier “is a Prime Minister under surveillance”he said. “It’s not a threat, it’s an arithmetic fact”defended Marine Le Pen on Sunday.

The left criticizes this rapprochement

On Sunday, La France Insoumise MP Manuel Bompard accused Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen of “having agreed to steal the French vote”on CNews and Europe 1. “The Macronists who refused the extreme right to come to power are betrayed. The Le Penists who wanted a break with Macron’s policy are just as betrayed.” he also commented on X. “Macron whistles and the RN lies down”, For his part, he castigated the rebellious deputy of Essonne, Antoine Léaument sur X.

“Let’s stop boring us with the idea that the left missed the step to power. Macron dealt with Le Pen via one of his Sarkozy advisers who is the subject of 13 indictments”protested Senator Ian Brossat, spokesman for the French Communist Party on X.

On the sidelines of his first trip as the new head of government, Michel Barnier said on Saturday that he was “under the democratic supervision of all French people and all political groups”. “This is not a government under surveillance, it is a government under the benevolence of the extreme right”squeaked the former rebel Alexis Corbière on LCI the next day.