Édouard Philippe, a municipal candidate with local or national ambition?

Text by: RFI Follow

Part of his future is played on Sunday June 28. Édouard Philippe is given the favorite to take over the town hall of Le Havre, without being certain of retaining his post as Prime Minister. Emmanuel Macron keeps secret about the government's next reshuffle. Édouard Philippe says he is ready to leave Matignon when the president decides. But what does Édouard Philippe really want? 

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His " desire, his greatest ambition " is " to become mayor as quickly as possible ". Édouard Philippe repeats it in the local media: his objective is first of all Le Havre, before Matignon. But is the Prime Minister really also detached from his national destiny? Is it simply a way to mobilize voters next Sunday?

Some see it rather as a form of pressure on the Élysée. A member of the government is convinced of this: " Édouard Philippe wants to stay " in Matignon. A walking MP does not believe it: " All of Macron's advisers plead for a new start, and the most visible change is the Prime Minister" .

In the press, the head of government also laid down his conditions: " The president knows who I am, what I can do and what I can't do  ". Too humble, too modest, to be honest Édouard Philippe? He will be a winner every time, believes a member close to the Prime Minister. “ If it stops now, Édouard Philippe is coming out on top. Otherwise, he will do the whole quinquennium ”.

► Also to listen: Municipal elections: what participation for the second round ballot?

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• Edouard Philippe