French press review

On the front page: a “minimum” government…

Audio 03:49

President Macron and Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne at the Élysée Palace, July 4, 2022 for the first Council of Ministers of the Borne II government.

© AP/Christophe Petit Tesson

By: Frédéric Couteau Follow

3 mins

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“ 

Departures without surprise, entry in force of the friends of François Bayrou and Édouard Philippe: this Borne II government remains confined to the limits of the presidential majority

 ”, notes

Sud-Ouest.

But could it be otherwise?

No, replies

Le Figaro

 : “  There

is nothing surprising about this government, and the profile of the new team, nothing spectacular.

Élisabeth Borne and therefore the Head of State have not succeeded in widening their majority to strengthen it.

They do not even register a

 "war prize"

 likely to tip a handful of deputies into the presidential camp.

The famous overtaking, called for by Emmanuel Macron, did not take place

 .

In any case, continues

Le Figaro

, " 

with this government, Emmanuel Macron's second five-year term can finally begin.

Stock !

But, if the casting is not dizzying, the highly anticipated scenario of the new team will have to be up to the challenges posed to our country.

In the absence of an absolute majority at the Palais Bourbon and without being confirmed by a vote of confidence, the latter will have to prove that it has the capacity to bring together

“on a case-by-case basis”…”

Optimism ?

As a result,

La Croix

wonders: “ 

Is it possible to have a coherent policy when we depend on majorities of circumstances?

And how to deploy a + general +

vision

when the situation condemns you to legislate on a case-by-case basis?

It takes a certain amount of optimism to see that something good will come out of it in the short term, especially if we judge by the attitude of the oppositions, which do not seem willing to play the supporting role.

All in their intransigence, the radical left and the RN camp on their pins, forgetting a little quickly that it is up to everyone to work in the direction of the general interest 

”.

Not enough to make schoolboys dream…

“ 

No wow effect, therefore

, adds

Liberation, no war prizes on the right or on the left to brandish under the nose of the dumbfounded opposition, but a government built to cement the different components of the majority, to better face the turbulence which are announced in the hemicycle.

It is a mechanical effect of the reverse of June 19: having a relative majority requires Emmanuel Macron to compose at the level of the daisies of the internal balances in his family.

This has a major consequence,

point

Liberation: on the central file, namely the environment and the fight against climate change, we are not there.

Certainly, the ecological transition remains as in the first government of Elisabeth Borne attached to Matignon.

We can see there the sign of an awareness of the ecological emergency.

But nothing in the cast unveiled yesterday accredits the thesis that the cursor has indeed moved in the right direction on the scale of environmental concerns.

And this is obviously a reason for mistrust.

 »

Indeed, Christophe Béchu, mayor of Angers, close to Édouard Philippe, does not have a profile to " 

make environmentalists dream 

", points out

Le Midi Libre

which quotes this comment from Jean-François Julliard, the director of Greenpeace France “

 Appointing to such an important position a politician with no experience in these issues and who has hardly ever taken a position on climate or environmental issues, demonstrates a real lack of ambition 

”.

Pessimistic?

Finally,

La Charente Libre

is rather pessimistic about the future… “ 

The deadlock is foreseeable, dissolution is possible in the medium term and the prospect of ending up at the polls after joining the government does not encourage adventure.

This is symbolized by the choice of Elisabeth Borne not to seek a vote of confidence tomorrow Wednesday, for lack of a majority.

It is also the choice of this

"defensive"  government

summed up by the formula of Emmanuel Macron at the new Council of Ministers:

"you will have to hold on".

Not only in the face of the international context but also in the face of the consequences of the legislative elections and a very weak electoral base 

”.

To read also: After the reshuffle, the baptism of fire of the Borne II government against Parliament

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  • French politics

  • Newspaper

  • Elisabeth Borne

  • Emmanuel Macron