French President Emmanuel Macron will receive Bernard Cazeneuve at the Elysée Palace on Monday morning as part of his consultations on the appointment of a new Prime Minister, the former head of the Socialist government was told on Sunday.
While his name has been circulating for several days as a possible Prime Minister, “Bernard Cazeneuve is not asking, but if he does it’s out of duty and to avoid further difficulties for the country,” it was added.
And what if the next Prime Minister were indeed this former Matignon tenant? Bernard Cazeneuve, a French politician born on May 2, 1963 in Senlis, is a prominent figure on the French political scene. A former lawyer, he entered politics in 1997 when he became deputy for the Manche department. Over the years, he has established himself as a key player in the successive governments of French President François Hollande (2012-2017), holding several positions of responsibility.
As Minister of the Interior from 2014 to 2016, Cazeneuve was notably confronted with landmark events, including the attacks of January and November 2015. His management of these crises was done through a significant strengthening of security measures in the country.
Prior to this, he also served as Minister Delegate for European Affairs and was involved in negotiations on European policies. His time at the Ministry of Finance, though shorter, was marked by reforms to modernize taxation.
Cazeneuve ended his government term as Prime Minister, succeeding Manuel Valls in December 2016, a position he held until the end of the quinquennium in May 2017. He has since chosen to retire from active political life, but remains a respected figure, regularly consulted on topical issues.
