Long Serving Econ Min Stands Down As PM Meets w/Les Republicains

Minister of the Economy, Finance, Industrial and Digital Sovereignty Bruno Le Maire, who held the position for a record seven consecutive years, has stepped down paving the way for a major shift in portfolios within the incoming gov't of PM Michel Barnier. While Le Maire stated that he will now take up a teaching position at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, Politico notes "Le Maire's [farewell] speech, however, sounded more like an à bientôt [see you soon] than an adieu [goodbye]. He didn't rule out a comeback and his presidential ambitions are an open secret in France's political circles."

• At present there is no clear candidate to succeed Le Maire, with Barnier continuing to speak to political parties as he seeks to put together a gov't that could feasibly win the support of the National Assembly.
• Barnier is currently holding talks with the conservative Les Republicains (LR), the party he hails from. There have been pushback from the left of the pro-Macron Ensemble bloc to the discussions Barnier has held so far, with the prominent role played by LR - despite being the fourth-largest grouping in the National Assembly - causing resentment.
• Indeed, Perrine Goulet - a deputy from the centrist MoDem - said that "What we said yesterday at our parliamentary days is that we were willing to support Michel Barnier if and only if all the sovereign positions were not taken by Les Républicains,"
• Ahead of the meeting, Barnier said he wanted a "balanced, representative, plural" government where "everyone will have their place".