Faced with the current political deadlock in France, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, former leader of the Greens, proposed a radical solution in an interview with Le Point: appointing François Bayrou as Prime Minister. This idea, developed with Zaki Laïdi, a professor at Sciences Po Paris, was presented in a confidential memo addressed to Emmanuel Macron and François Bayrou. According to Cohn-Bendit, Bayrou would be best placed to form a governing coalition capable of extricating France from its institutional gridlock.
The observation of a deep political crisis
Cohn-Bendit points out that France is in a political crisis largely due to the unprepared dissolution initiated by President Macron, which led to an electoral defeat. According to him, Macron, by persisting in wanting to remain master of the political game despite his loss of control, has made the situation worse. He also criticizes Macron's refusal to appoint Lucie Castets, candidate of the New Popular Front (NFP), as Prime Minister after the elections, which could have clarified the balance of power in Parliament.
The Bayrou hypothesis: a pragmatic solution
Cohn-Bendit and Laïdi see François Bayrou as an "old political fox" capable of putting together a government of strong personalities, both from the centre-left and the right, without presidential ambitions for 2027. According to them, Bayrou could skillfully navigate the current context to avoid censure of the government and to pass crucial reforms, such as the introduction of proportional representation in the electoral law, thus freeing the left from the obligation to ally itself with La France Insoumise.
A prefiguring Prime Minister?
The idea would be to appoint Bayrou as prime minister, but with a transition phase in which he would act as a prefigurator, a common practice in Belgium or the Netherlands. During this period, Bayrou would form a coalition government before being officially sworn in. Cohn-Bendit insists that Bayrou, as a member of the outgoing majority, could be a credible interlocutor for the forces of the centre-left and the centre-right.
The need for political compromises
Cohn-Bendit disapproves of François Hollande's idea that an alliance with the center would be ineffective. For him, in a context where no absolute majority is possible, compromise is essential. Without it, he warns, France risks continuing to navigate in political fog, thereby strengthening Marine Le Pen 's rise to power.
A new impetus or a management of the impasse?
According to Cohn-Bendit, it is no longer a question of giving new impetus to Macron's five-year term, but rather of getting France out of the current impasse. Bayrou would, according to him, have the autonomy necessary to ensure an end to his term that is not "a lame duck". In addition to the question of the budget and electoral reform, it would also be crucial for France to continue to play a central role in major European and international issues, particularly concerning Ukraine and the Middle East.
In a context where traditional political forces are struggling to reach an agreement, Cohn-Bendit's proposal to call on François Bayrou could well be one of the rare solutions capable of giving France a clear political direction, at least until the end of the five-year term.
