Alexandre Chauveau, edited by Alexandre Dalifard / Photo credit: DELPHINE MAYEUR / HANS LUCAS / HANS LUCAS VIA AFP
While Emmanuel Macron has been away since Monday in New Caledonia, the President of the Republic indulged in a confidence during a New Caledonian walkabout. The Head of State believes that Édouard Philippe, his former Prime Minister, is one of those who could succeed him in 2027.
The echo of the presidential speech has undoubtedly already reached the ears of Édouard Philippe. Between Le Havre and Nouméa, more than 16,000 kilometers away and yet it is much less between Seine-Maritime and the Élysée. Especially since Emmanuel Macron indulged in a confidence during a New Caledonian walkabout. The Head of State believes that his former Prime Minister is one of those who could succeed him in 2027. A little sentence dropped like that, out of the blue.
“Take over”
After a military ceremony, Emmanuel Macron offers a walkabout. In New Caledonia, 40% of voters trusted him in the first round of the last presidential election. So the Head of State takes advantage of this break away from Paris, even if politics is never very far away. “2027, maybe Mr. Édouard Philippe will replace you”, launches a man present in the crowd to the President of the Republic. “I hope in any case that there is really a continuation in what we have put in place and that those who have accompanied me for six years now can take over”, replies Emmanuel Macron.
Edouard Philippe, a friend. The word is unusually warm towards his former Prime Minister and the confidence in his succession to the Élysée is just as rare. But it will be the only metropolitan parenthesis in this day entirely devoted to local subjects. In the middle of the morning, Emmanuel Macron is received at the Customary Senate, the political body of the Kanaks, to whom he reiterates his desire to unite. “Our common duty is now to build the future and I believe that the error in which we must not lock ourselves up is to simply look at the past. Basically, to find a form of comfort in a permanent instability, “said the head of state.
Emmanuel Macron will bring together independentists and non-independentists on Wednesday before delivering a major speech on the future status of New Caledonia. The 100 days now seem well and truly in the rearview mirror.