“In two and a half years I will be 80 years old, that would not be serious,” said Le Drian
Former French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian, according to his words, rejected the offer for the post of the new prime minister. On Thursday, he told the weekly Le Penthièvre, reports TASR.
“I was offered (this position). But I refused her. In two and a half years I will be 80 years old, that would not be serious,” said Le Drian, who was considered one of the biggest favorites for the future prime minister according to several agencies.
He served as Minister of Defense under President Francois Hollande. After improving relations with his successor, Emmanuel Macron, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs. He is currently Macron’s special envoy for Lebanon, the France 24 television portal reminds.
On Wednesday, the AFP agency named centrist leader Francois Bayrou and Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu as the biggest favorites for prime minister. France 24 reported that Bayrou arrived on Friday morning for a planned meeting with Macron at the Elysee Palace.
In an effort to find a suitable candidate for prime minister, the French president negotiated for two days this week with representatives of all parliamentary parties except for the far-right National Association (RN) of Marina Le Pen and the far-left movement Unyielding France (LFI) of Jean-Luc Mélenchon. After the meetings, he undertook to appoint a new prime minister within 48 hours, i.e. by Thursday. After his visit to Poland, his office announced that the name of the new prime minister would be announced on Friday morning, but this has not happened yet.
Macron believes he will end the political deadlock after parliamentary elections and a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s government. It is the first time since 1962 that a French government has fallen following a vote of no confidence in parliament, and Barnier became the shortest-serving prime minister during France’s Fifth Republic, which has existed since 1958.
