Say cheese! Macron all smiles in first meet with ex-PM Philippe since rift

PARIS — Handshakes, pats on the back and a warm exchange: French President Emmanuel Macron and his former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe were at pains to display a harmonious front before the cameras on Thursday, despite recent political tensions.

The rendezvous marked the first meeting between Macron and Philippe since the former PM announced his plans to run in the next presidential election, drawing accusations of disloyalty from Macron loyalists. 

Macron traveled to Le Havre, the port city in Normandy where Philippe serves as mayor, as part of a series of memorial visits marking the 80th anniversary of France’s liberation from Nazi occupation. The battle of Normandy resulted in massive civilian casualties, in large part caused by Allied bombing raids, and left cities like Le Havre and Caen in ruins.

A spokesperson said before the event that all participants must behave in a manner “worthy” of the occasion, a clear allusion to the tension between the two men.

“The dead are watching us. We must be worthy of their legacy,” the spokesperson said.

And so they were. During a 15-minute speech lauding Le Havre’s resilience, Philippe thanked the French president profusely, calling his presence an acknowledgement of the hardships the coastal city had faced.

For his part, Macron lamented Le Havre’s plight and paid tribute to all of the city’s mayors — including Philippe — for their rebuilding efforts.

Trouble in paradise

But the effusive words and public displays of unity hid a more freighted reality.

Philippe’s early declaration that he would run for Macron’s job — three years before the president’s term is to end — was widely seen as a bet against his erstwhile ally’s political survival, and led to accusations of disloyalty from some of Macron’s top allies.

The former PM has instructed his party, Horizons, which is part of the broader right-of-center coalition backing Macron, to “be ready for spring” in case an early presidential election is called, senior party officials told Playbook Paris. 

The possibility of Macron’s resigning, though ruled out by the president, has been discussed as a solution to the political deadlock caused by snap elections this summer, which led to a gridlocked legislature.

In an attempt to break the impasse, Macron appointed former European Commissioner Michel Barnier, a leader within the weakened conservative Republicans party, as prime minister last week.

In an interview with news channel BFM Wednesday, Philippe emphasized his desire that Macron complete his term in office in the interest of institutional stability.

The French presidency did not comment on whether the two men would talk privately during Macron’s visit.