Bayrou appointed planning commissioner, a promotion and many questions

Emmanuel Macron and François Bayrou in Pau, January 14, 2020. -

• Emmanuel Macron plans to appoint François Bayrou high commissioner for planning, Thursday, September 3.

• This appointment marks the great comeback of the boss of the MoDem.

  It should be attached to the Elysee, and not to the Prime Minister.

• Its projects and its method have not yet been revealed, but its mission raises doubts even among the majority.

Politics is sometimes the art of knowing how to make something new with something old.

In this return, Emmanuel Macron is preparing to resuscitate an institution born in the post-war period, of which he will entrust the reins to a politician.

François Bayrou will be appointed High Commissioner for Planning and Foresight at the Council of Ministers on Thursday, September 3.

Behind this somewhat high-sounding title, what will be the role of the Modem boss really?

There are many questions (and criticisms) about this new job which allows the mayor of Pau to make his comeback.

But what does the high commission plan?

The general planning commission was created in 1946 by General de Gaulle.

At the time, the objective was to rebuild the country, revive the economy and modernize France with five-year plans.

The very first commissioner, Jean Monnet, had chosen to create thematic commissions, with representatives of unions, employers, the State as well as experts to work on the future of coal or the train for example.

The institution has survived the decades before being officially abolished in 2006. In fact, it was replaced by a new body responsible for conducting foresight for the government, the Center d'Analyse Stratégique, which became France Strategy in 2013.

What will the job look like in 2020?

The idea of ​​recreating a high commission for planning arose in the midst of the coronavirus crisis.

In his speech of April 13, Emmanuel Macron already mentioned the duty to "build a strategy where we will find the long term, the possibility of planning, carbon sobriety, prevention, resilience which alone can allow us to face the crises to come. ".

Things became clearer after the July reshuffle, when the new Prime Minister Jean Castex announced his wish to "re-enlighten public action with a long-term vision".

"We need to have, in the service of the president and the government, a body which reflects on the longer term and with less constraints, knowing the country", confirmed Emmanuel Macron on August 28.

The president indicated that he himself will write François Bayrou's mission letter.

For the moment, little more is known about the job description, the Elysee Palace having not responded to the

requests

.

We already know that François Bayrou won his case on one point: according to

, he will be attached to the Elysée, and not to Matignon.

Incidentally, this will allow him to remain mayor of Pau, since he will not be a member of the government and will therefore not be subject to the rules of non-accumulation of mandates.

It is also practical because he was indicted in December 2019 for "complicity in the embezzlement of public funds" in the case of parliamentary assistants.

But this subordination to the presidency raises questions.

"Isn't that going to be an bis prime minister?"

“, Worries Bruno Bonnell, LREM deputy of the Rhône.

Another walker fears "chapel quarrels", because the future high commissioner can encroach on files managed by the ministers.

According to Patrick Mignola, boss of MoDem deputies, this function will not be remunerated, at the request of François Bayrou, and "his first project will be the organization of the long-term health system, and of research", two areas managed in government by Olivier Véran and Frédérique Vidal.

Do we really need it?

The announcement is greeted by some, even the rebellious, and mocked by others.

Even within the majority, it arouses fears, that of yet another useless technocratic body or walking on government beds.

"It's a good idea, in these uncertain times, we are too often governed by the short term, debates on masks, controversies born on social networks ...", however believes Roland Lescure, deputy LREM and president of the Committee on Economic Affairs.

"The plan can feed the long-term reflections of the President of the Republic, on post-Covid globalization, European governance ...", he illustrates.

"We add a thing, which will probably have good ideas, but it is not what we need today", worries on the other hand Bruno Bonnell.

“The tool seems dated: the world has shifted into interactivity, innovation in real time.

Planning is not adapted to the challenges of the century.

And Matignon and Bercy already have exceptional prospective tools, ”sweeps the macronist.

Why Bayrou?

"It is an idea of ​​always of François Bayrou", recalls the centrist Patrick Mignola.

The mayor of Pau had notably pleaded to recreate this planning commission, in a work published in 2017,

.

“I have discussed this necessity a lot for months with the President of the Republic.

He said: "It's a good idea. Why wouldn't you do it yourself? You have thought about the subject and you correspond to the composite portrait" ", told the person concerned to

, end of August.

His return to the executive, three years after his express stint at the Ministry of Justice in June 2017, is far from trivial.

Even if some macronists are annoyed by his return, "historical walkers like me recognize the role he played in the 2017 campaign", assures Roland Lescure.

"He will have to withdraw from daily news commentary to avoid any ambiguity," he hopes.

In July, the entourage of Emmanuel Macron had judged that the appointment of the boss of the Modem to this post would be an "obvious political gain".

"It allows to show the presidential majority, which one accuses of leaning to the right, remains plural", underlines Bruno Bonnell.

By focusing on the long term, François Bayrou will also have the opportunity to "bring out useful debates in view of the presidential election", judge Patrick Mignola.

One way to ensure that the ballot is weighed again in 2022.

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• Modem

• Government

• Francois Bayrou

• Emmanuel Macron