French PM Barnier and Macron's party split over tax hikes
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00:00Now we're going to bring you some French politics on the program and France's former Prime Minister
00:04Gabriel Attal is calling for a clarification of the political line to determine whether or not
00:11Macronists will take part in the new government. Now Attal was due to meet at Matignon today with
00:17the new Prime Minister Michel Barnier as he tries to put together a new government but we're hearing
00:23that it's been cancelled or at least postponed. Well let's talk to Clovis Casale who joins us
00:28from there. Clovis so we're hearing it's been postponed I mean what was due to be the point
00:32of this meeting? Well indeed this meeting between Gabriel Attal and the current Prime Minister
00:40Michel Barnier has been cancelled or should I say postponed. The entourage of Michel Barnier
00:45not telling us yet when it could be taking place. What is very clear that is that there are tensions
00:51between the two men and actually between Michel Barnier and the rest of Macron's centrist bloc
00:57over the possibility of increasing taxes. Macron's side says there is no way we won't
01:03support a government that increases taxes on the French people. We won't support that
01:09government. Gérald Darmanin the current interior minister the outgoing interior minister even
01:15saying that he won't take part in a government that raises that increases taxes and won't support
01:20it in government which could make it even more difficult for Michel Barnier to have a government
01:26to stay in place because you know of course there's the risk of losing a vote of no confidence
01:32with no bloc having an outright majority in parliament. Michel Barnier's entourage has now
01:38sent us a message saying the budgetary situation of France is critical and therefore there should
01:45not be any threats. The only objective of the Prime Minister is to bring back growth for France,
01:54increase the level of living of the French people and therefore you can understand that
02:00behind the scenes there are talks taking place and this meeting has been postponed we are told
02:07and we'll have to wait and see if it takes place today or maybe in the coming days. But clearly
02:13talks need to resume between both sides as Michel Barnier the Prime Minister is struggling
02:19to form a government. More generally Clavis there's still no news is there of that government
02:24what's the problem there what's holding it up?
02:29Yes and it's a record number of days under the Fifth Republic for France without a government
02:34without we know the who's the Prime Minister of course Michel Barnier but he can't really
02:38form his government yet because it seems he's trying to attract left-wing figures. Remember
02:44when he came into power here at Matignon Michel Barnier said we want to bring together French
02:51people French political parties because again in the past snap elections no bloc got an outright
02:57majority and actually it's the left-wing bloc that got a very slim majority of seats but did
03:03not get to choose the next Prime Minister. So for Michel Barnier who comes from the right wing he
03:09needs to try to get some kind of left-wing figures in his government and for the time being no one
03:14wants to go no one wants to associate with a government that's set to have of course a right
03:20wing or at least a center-right political agenda. Michel Barnier looking of course to his party
03:27Les Républicains the center-right party to get some ministers on that side clearly many people
03:33keen to join. Then of course you've got Macron's centrist bloc people who could join the government
03:40presumably no outgoing minister would be in the next government because they need to show
03:45the French people that there is clear change a new direction for France. It's very difficult for
03:52Michel Barnier to really recruit new troops if you will and we are told that a new government
03:58should be announced possibly on Sunday we are expecting one at least this week.