Paris (AFP)

The summoning to justice of François Bayrou in the matter of the fictitious uses of the MoDem weakens the centrist leader, and complicates the position of his party within the majority.

The mayor of Pau is likely to be indicted on Friday - as was the former MEP MoDem Sylvie Goulard Monday during his hearing by an examining magistrate in the case of assistants of MEPs MoDem.

Faced with this eventuality, the man who had made righteousness a political axiom is reduced to trying to relativize, repeating that "today, everyone or almost everyone is indicted in French political life: Marine Le Pen, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Nicolas Sarkozy ... ".

After the opening of a preliminary investigation in June 2017 that forced Mr. Bayrou to resign from the government, along with Marielle de Sarnez and Sylvie Goulard, the case seemed dormant.

"During this period, we were repeatedly told that the dismissal was imminent ...", recalls the entourage of François Bayrou. And nobody in the presidential majority had up until then elevated this affair to the rank of political problem.

The case came back spectacularly in the light when France proposed Sylvie Goulard at the end of August as European Commissioner. Especially since Mrs Goulard has meanwhile announced having paid the European Parliament the salaries of one of his assistants when she was MEP - some have seen the admission of a fictitious job.

"Seeing how all the macronie defended Goulard this summer, they'll have a little trouble getting us in now," warns a senior member of the MoDem.

For more than a week, fifteen or so executives, elected or former MoDem elected, who have been indicted by the judges, including the ex-custody of the Seals Michel Mercier, before those - likely - of Marielle de Sarnez and François Bayrou, a significant part of the party's leadership team.

- "Necessarily weakened" -

In turn, the balance of the presidential majority could be questioned, while mid-term, relations between LREM and Bayrouist troops remain contrasted, even conflicting with regard to the municipal campaign.

"With this indictment of Bayrou, the MoDem will necessarily be weakened," predicts a cacique of La République en marche, "because it was the thunderous words of Bayrou that allowed them to believe (print their mark, ed), and no one else can take that role. "

"But Bayrou will not be able to go to the newspaper of 20H00 as he wishes, just as the scope of his word will decline," he continues.

In the young guard of parliamentarians MoDem, arrived at the party after the supposed affairs, one observes also that "the lieutenants of the Republic in march try for a few days to make move the lines: they call us, with attentions as they n have never had, they offer us lunches ... "

What stumble the boss of MoDem, almighty at home? "We saw small movements move about a month ago, but it did not last," said a member of the centrist party, while some call the head of MPs MoDem Patrick Mignola or the Minister of Relations with Parliament Marc Fesneau to take the lead. For now, in vain.

François Bayrou keeps in his hand a major asset: his privileged relationship with President Emmanuel Macron. The latter could also renew his confidence in Béarnais by going to Pau on the occasion of the inauguration of a hydrogen bus line.

"This proximity will be brought to distend", predicts however a leader of LREM. A very close to the Head of State nuance: "Bayrou has more notoriety than anybody from us, so we must still treat it well.After, we will see how the MoDem will integrate the dynamics of 2022. .. "

© 2019 AFP