How long can he last ? A Barnier government was expected to be under the threat of a vote of no confidence in the National Assembly. But first, will the new French Prime Minister even be able to form a government ? Political maneuvering from all sides is exerting opposing pressures. Who would want to join a government that is sinking from all sides before it's even formed ? The political camp of Gabriel Attal, the young former Prime Minister, is pulling the rug out from under his feet.

Raising taxes ? That’s a red line that Laurent Wauquiez’s Les Républicains refuse to cross. None of the socialist politicians contacted want to become ministers. Nor, of course, does any representative from Marine Le Pen’s party, the National Rally. France is sinking into a deep political crisis, and every day reveals more of the depth of the abyss.

What if the Gaullist Michel Barnier gave up his post ? Jean-Pierre Raffarin, himself a former Prime Minister under Jacques Chirac, cannot believe such a possibility. Barnier is said to have a strong sense of duty and is never better than in the midst of turmoil ! It would obviously be a disaster for Emmanuel Macron, though it is said that his relationship with Michel Barnier has deteriorated. What would be left for the French President if he had to once again search for a new head of government ? Macron, who has just suffered a new diplomatic setback from Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission. She refused to reappoint Thierry Breton as the new European Commissioner, even though it was the personal choice of the French President.

The French political ship is swaying dangerously, while the new Prime Minister has just declared that the country’s budgetary situation is "very serious." French institutions are solid, but will they remain strong enough for long to face what increasingly seems like a political situation spiraling out of control ?