Attal government: the consequences of the acquittal of François Bayrou on the second wave of appointments

It is a decision which could have a direct impact on the further formation of Gabriel Attal’s government. This Monday morning, François Bayrou, the head of the MoDem, was acquitted in the affair of the European parliamentary assistants, “for the benefit of the doubt”. And while the names of the delegate ministers and secretaries of state, who will join the new executive team, should be known in the next 48 hours, the horizon is clearing for possible entrants from the MoDem.

For these potential ministers, it is therefore relief that predominates. A conviction of their leader, who, thanks to his acquittal, retains his political credit, would have undermined their appointment. Historical ally of Emmanuel Macron and with 51 deputies in the National Assembly, he remains able to demand positions for his protégés, such as Jean-Noël Barrot who was in Digital, or even Philippe Vigiern in charge of Overseas in the previous government of Élisabeth Borne.

A tighter government

The fact remains that despite this legal victory, the mayor of Pau is far from assured of having as many ministers or secretaries of state from his party as before. The time has indeed come for downsizing and Emmanuel Macron, like Gabriel Attal, wants a tighter government.

There second wave of appointments should only concern around fifteen personalities for a government composed of a total of around thirty members, including full-time ministers. The deputy Karl Olive is thus expected to join the government, Agnès Pannier-Runacher is cited for the Health portfolio and it will, finally, be a question of deciding the case of Amélie Oudéa-Castéra. The Minister of National Education, Sports and the Olympic Games is in limbo between Matignon who wants her to leave and the Élysée who intends to keep her.

Clear horizon for 2027

The name of François Bayrou himself is cited to replace her. But for now, the person concerned is getting in the way. “I am not here to think about the political future or politics. After an event of this magnitude, this dimension, this length of time, it is not politics that is the most important” . The acquittal of François Bayrou finally clears his horizon for 2027, because the boss of the MoDem has never completely renounced his presidential ambitions. Just a year ago, François Bayrou declared: “There is no committed citizen who should not be concerned about the presidential election. I am no exception to the rule.”