Disagreements in government: Emmanuel Macron calls on each minister to "mind" their own "business"

The spat between ministers has contaminated the top executive: Emmanuel Macron reprimanded François Bayrou and called on the government on Thursday to "discipline its speech" after public disputes over renewable energy, against a backdrop of presidential ambitions and the weakening of the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister , "he must lead his government" and the ministers "must take care of the policies they are implementing," the President of the Republic declared on the sidelines of a trip to Aveyron. Referring to the presidential election, he assured that there would be "time for debates, for programs," but "there is time for the government of France" and "each minister must take care of the matters for which he is appointed."

François Bayrou, who spoke at the same time as the president on BFMTV , which is rare, initially called on his ministers to cultivate "a spirit of responsibility" in order to express themselves "with a little more nuance."

Then, when questioned about this direct reprimand from the head of state, he explained that he had "wanted a government of heavyweights" that could not be led "like a child's class," and denounced "internal campaigns, political movements." But "I am the one who decides," he assured, denying any chaos, since the subject of renewable energies "is a subject that is arbitrated. There will be renewables."

Yet, just before heading to Matignon on Wednesday evening for a cocktail reception intended precisely to iron out the divisions within the government's common core, the leader of the presidential Renaissance party, Gabriel Attal, criticized Bruno Retailleau on X. The Minister of the Interior, wearing his hat as president of the Les Républicains party, had just called in a column for the cessation of "public subsidies" for wind and photovoltaic power.

An "incomprehensible historical and scientific misinterpretation (...)," declared the former Prime Minister and leader of the presidential camp's deputies. "Populism," thundered Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Minister of Ecological Transition, Renaissance, a little later, accusing her colleague of wanting to "win votes on the right and beyond" and questioning his "seriousness."

With Roquefort producers, the head of state sided with his party's leaders. "We need renewable energy," he declared, calling for "an end to whims" and caricatures. Bruno Retailleau justified his decision on the sidelines of a trip to Libourne (Gironde), explaining that he had joined the government "to avoid chaos" while remaining true to his ideas.

Relations between the leaders of the common core parties are becoming increasingly strained as three of them, Gabriel Attal (Renaissance), Edouard Philippe (Horizons) and Bruno Retailleau (Les Républicains), are aiming to run for president and are seeking to stand out.

The equation is further complicated by the fact that Bruno Retailleau is both a government heavyweight and president of the LR party. As such, he is likely to speak out on his colleagues' issues. The differences are also spreading because Prime Minister François Bayrou appears weakened.

At his lowest in the polls, he is not only still deprived of a majority in the Assembly, but he no longer benefits from the neutrality of the socialists since the failure of the conclave on pensions and is entering a delicate zone with the preparation of the 2026 budget project, the broad outlines of which he will unveil on July 15.

"If, in addition, there are really serious cracks in the common core, that's an additional risk of weakening," one minister emphasizes.

François Bayrou is in any case "very angry" by these rising tensions within his coalition and by the absenteeism of his elected representatives in Parliament, according to a source close to him. He will have the opportunity to explain this on Wednesday at noon, when he receives his coalition's parliamentarians for the end of the session.

François Bayrou's plan to introduce proportional representation in legislative elections is another source of tension. The right is strongly opposed to it. Only the MoDem party within the presidential camp is clearly in favor.