French President Emmanuel Macron has demanded that newly appointed Prime Minister François Bayrou present a list of ministers by the end of Tuesday amid growing tensions between the two.
François Bayrou, who was appointed prime minister on Monday, initially stated that he planned to announce the composition of the new government by the end of the week. However, he hinted that potential delays were due to Macron’s busy international schedule, emphasizing that the president must be in France for the formal appointment of ministers.
Macron, known for his cautious decision-making, took Bayrou’s remarks as a pointed criticism. In response, the president insisted that the prime minister submit the list of ministers by Tuesday evening. A presidential advisor noted that Macron is “waiting for proposals” from the prime minister following his consultations with parliamentary leaders on Tuesday.
In the coming days, Macron plans to visit the French territory of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, which was hit by a cyclone. On Thursday, he will attend the European Council meeting in Brussels.
François Bayrou, a 73-year-old politician, replaced Michel Barnier as prime minister after Barnier’s minority government was ousted — the first such occurrence since 1962. Barnier’s cabinet held office for a record short period of just 91 days.
