From the pension conclave to the Duplomb law: François Bayrou, chronicle of a predicted fall
By deciding to hold his government accountable, the Prime Minister thought he was pulling off a gamble to push through his austerity plan. This was political suicide, as his term in office, marked by the pensions conclave, the Bétharram affair, and the vote on the unpopular Duplomb law, led to his isolation and the disintegration of his support.
It's a Béarnese puzzle. Why, on August 25, did François Bayrou take the somewhat crazy decision to hold his government responsible ? A vote that should, in all likelihood, lead to the government's resignation. Everyone is trying as best they can to solve the enigma.
Two camps are facing off. There are those who are convinced that "François Bayrou chose the time and date of his departure," as one Socialist MP put it. Others, on the contrary, believe they know that he was certain to "succeed by going all-in." "He has long believed that he has a special connection with the French people. He believes he is playing public opinion against the parties," analyzes a veteran politician who knows the character very well.
The only certainty is that François Bayrou sealed his fate on August 21, during a dinner held in the secrecy of the walls of Fort Brégançon. A few days earlier, he had warned Emmanuel Macron of his intention to hold the government accountable, in accordance with Article 49, paragraph 1, of the Constitution. He needs his approval to convene Parliament; he'd better not catch him off guard and risk him getting angry. The two highest-ranking officials of the State thus find themselves face-to-face.
That...
L'Humanité
