Macron kicks off tense talks on new French government

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00:00The Paralympics may be starting next week, but the Olympic truce is over for French politics.

00:05Seven weeks after inconclusive snap elections, Emmanuel Macron is receiving delegations from

00:10the major political groups this Friday and Monday.

00:14He says that he expects to name a prime minister soon after.

00:17As a reminder, no group won a majority in the snap parliamentary elections, though the

00:21left-wing New Popular Front did score the most seats.

00:25They and their prime minister pick, Lucie Castaix, are kicking off the meetings this

00:29morning.

00:30Let's check in with our reporter Antonia Kerrigan, who's following those talks for

00:34us from the Elysee Palace.

00:36Antonia, walk us through how these talks are unfolding.

00:40Well, what we know is representatives of the New Popular Front are in there right now.

00:47We know the president is receiving representatives from the centrist bloc at one o'clock and

00:51the Republicans at 3.30.

00:54We know that the president has said he wants a broad and stable majority.

00:58That's one that can't be immediately overthrown by a no-confidence vote.

01:03So he'll be asking them today, what are you prepared to do?

01:06Who are you prepared to work with?

01:07Who are you not prepared to work with?

01:10And if you're not in government, are there specific laws where you will be prepared to

01:14support and give a majority to a different government?

01:18Talks continue, as you say, until Monday when he receives representatives of the national

01:23rally.

01:24And the Elysee says we won't have a name before then.

01:26Of course, as you say, with the Paralympic Games kicking off next Wednesday, it is unclear

01:31what the timeline will be for an announcement, even less a change of government.

01:36And the one name that's been on the table is Lucie Castet, put forward by the left.

01:40Are there any other names kind of floating around?

01:43And what are Emmanuel Macron's potential options here?

01:46Well, Lucie Castet, as you say, she was the big new name on everyone's lips this summer.

01:52She's a senior civil servant and has built a reputation as a staunch defender of public

01:56services.

01:57She has ended up being quite a unifying choice for a lot of the left wing coalition.

02:01However, the biggest party within the NFP remains the France Unbowed Party.

02:07That's Jean-Luc Melenchon's party.

02:08And for many in the centre, on the right and on the far right, any government with a single

02:13France Unbowed minister, that's a red line.

02:16That's something they would immediately look to overthrow.

02:19So there are a few things that could happen.

02:21One hypothesis is that some of the socialists who are, of course, on the right flank of

02:25the left wing alliance may break ranks.

02:29One name that's been thrown around is Karim Bouamrane, who could be a socialist prime

02:33minister not commanding the NFP parliamentary group.

02:39Also, there is discussion of the Republicans taking a pivotal role.

02:44They have only 63 seats, but the name Xavier Bertrand has been thrown around.

02:48He's a former minister under President Sarkozy from the Republican Party.

02:52The idea being that they could build a broad coalition of the right, the centre, and I

02:56think they would be hoping as well to nibble a little bit into the left.

03:02And if they don't go into government, they could also offer support on a specific selection

03:05of laws.

03:07So the largest group in parliament may not end up being the one governing.

03:10One of the smaller parties might, but there's a lot to play for.

03:14There's a lot of horse trading that could happen on laws, on prime ministerial picks,

03:18on ministers.

03:19We'll have to wait and see.

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