Emmanuel Macron will hold a press conference on Tuesday, at 8:15 p.m., to launch the remobilization operation

The famous “meeting with the nation” begins to take shape. After the wishes to the French on December 31, after the surprise appointment of Gabriel Attal to Matignon, after a fairly right-wing reshuffle, there are still at least two dates to tick in Emmanuel Macron's calendar. From this Monday evening, first, since the President of the Republic invited the new government and all the majority parliamentarians to the Élysée. Including the outgoing ministers, elected in the 2022 legislative elections, and who were not reappointed in the first wave of appointments: Élisabeth Borne, Olivier Dussopt, Stanislas Guerini, Olivier Véran, Franck Riester, Clément Beaune and Olivia Grégoire. “This is the first time in the legislature that the head of state has organized such an event,” observes a relative, who promises a remobilization operation. “It’s going to be a bit like “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”… Dati introducing himself to the walkers, Vautrin toasting with Houlié…”, the executive jokes in advance.

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After a brief introductory speech, which will mainly consist of thanking his troops for the past year, and setting dates for major future texts such as abortion or end of life, Emmanuel Macron will go through the ranks to discuss with his guests evening. “After the pension reform and the immigration law, which were essential but which were difficult, he wants to take the time to listen to them. The problem is that all those who hope to be drafted into the list of secretaries of state are not going to let it go!”, quips a Renaissance executive.

Those who expect a big, meaningful speech will, however, be disappointed. “It’s going to be mostly about the calendar,” warns a visitor. Because another evening is planned at the Élysée, the next day: Emmanuel Macron wants to confront journalists on Tuesday, shortly after 8 p.m., during a large prime-time-style press conference, to reach as many people as possible. An exercise which he is not really fond of, and which he only convened twice during his first five-year term - after the "yellow vest" crisis, and before the French presidency of the European Union -, as well as a third time during the last campaign, to present his program. “There, there will be an introductory statement where he will clarify his direction, before answering all the questions,” warns a close friend familiar with thoughts on the subject. “He will be in the Gaullo-Mitterrandian purity,” exclaims an advisor.

If he intends to unite his troops on Monday evening, and reassure the country on Tuesday evening, Emmanuel Macron plans to take advantage of one or the other of these two expressions to send a few messages to his Prime Minister. Even putting a little pressure on the head of government, who made five trips in five days. The president should thus himself set the day of the general policy speech that Gabriel Attal will deliver to the Assembly, before January 25 at the latest. The head of state could also remind him, as he had already done with Élisabeth Borne, that he appreciates people who “take their risk”. In other words, encourage him to submit to a vote of confidence by Parliament.