The former socialist minister Ségolène Royal claims to have been contacted by a collaborator of the Élysée to participate in the government of the new Prime Minister, Jean Castex, unveiled on Monday. A call denied by a source close to Emmanuel Macron.

While Prime Minister Jean Castex's new government is known on Monday, potential candidates for ministerial positions are making their voices heard. The former socialist minister Ségolène Royal said on Sunday on the set of BFMTV to have been contacted by "a close friend" of Emmanuel Macron to be part of the new government team, and judged that it would only "make sense" if it could pursue a "more social, more ecological, more democratic" policy. This telephone call was denied by a source close to the head of state at AFP and with the newspaper Le Monde.

>> LIVE - The formation of the Castex government scheduled for Monday with twenty ministers, according to the Elysée

Called by "someone close to the President"

"I was called, by someone close to the President, (…) yesterday (Saturday)," said Ségolène Royal on BFMTV at first. How would she respond to the proposal to enter government? "I am respectful of institutions, I have been very kind, very respectful, we are facing a very serious economic crisis, we know who I am, what I said about what is happening today in France for three years, we know my convictions ", she explained. So, "I said, if it is to pursue a more social, more ecological, more democratic policy, make me a proposal. And here we are."

"All of this does not exist"

"All that does not exist," told the newspaper Le Monde a close collaborator of Emmanuel Macron, who denies any phone call. The President of the Republic and his Prime Minister continue their consultations on Sunday with "the objective of forming a new government for Monday in the day," announced the Elysee. It should consist of around twenty ministers and deputy ministers. 

Reshuffle: the Elysée insures that no collaborator of @ EmmanuelMacron called @RoyalSegolene to propose him to enter the government, "all that does not exist" entrusts an adviser to the president to @lemondefr

- Cédric Pietralunga (@CPietralunga) July 5, 2020

Ségolène Royal, former socialist candidate for the presidency of the Republic, had already affirmed her political ambitions during the week. She assured in particular to be "ready to lead the battle" for "a left assembled" during the next presidential elections of 2022, putting forward its identity "ecologist". After the green wave in the big cities with the municipal ones, Jean Castex, resulting from the Republicans, is it the man of the situation for the ex-socialist minister? "We must give him time, judge the acts," said Ségolène Royal.