(Bloomberg) -- French President Emmanuel Macron called for a “political truce” during the summer Olympics in Paris, which begin Friday, potentially delaying the appointment of a prime minister and the formation of a new government.
“French people want to have some rest,” Macron told a small group of reporters at the Elysee Palace Monday, saying that people want to focus on the Olympic games. “Now it’s the role of the political leaders to get to work.”
Macron dissolved the lower house of parliament last month, leaving France’s most important legislative body fragmented and with no clear path to being able to form a new government. The current caretaker administration is operating in a weakened and temporary role.
Macron may not appoint a new head of government until after the Olympic games end on Aug. 11, according to a government adviser, who added that the president can be unpredictable, citing his decision to call the snap legislative election last month.
Ministerial staffers have also been looking for jobs since the government, led by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, resigned, said the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Officials are exhausted after the two-round election, but welcome the Olympics as an opportunity to move past French politics and unite the country.
Macron is constitutionally empowered to pick a new prime minister and it’s been accepted practice to appoint someone from the biggest group in the National Assembly. As a counterweight, lawmakers can call confidence votes in the government.
The left-wing alliance New Popular Front, which now holds the most seats in the National Assembly, hasn’t agreed on who to put forward as a candidate to be prime minister, with some suggesting the decision could be delayed until later in the summer. Veteran climate negotiator Laurence Tubiana, who was put forward by the Socialists as a possible premier, withdrew on Monday.
Macron can keep the current caretaker administration in place for several months until greater consensus emerges in the National Assembly, which is now divided in roughly three forces — the New Popular Front, the centrist Ensemble alliance and Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally group.
Macron also said he would swim in the Seine river after the games. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo swam in the river last week, seeking to show it was clean and ready for the start of the Olympics.
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