France’s new Prime Minister is what in Greece we call an “old hand” in politics. Having served in various ministries and under different governments, François Bayrou has played an important role in policy-making from both the right and the centre. But the ambition of the President of the Modem party entity has always been to reach the end of the road: for him, that end is none other than the Mathinion palace, or rather the position of Prime Minister of the country.

In his first words as he boarded the car that took him to the Palais des Irises to meet the French President, Biaroux did not surprise those familiar with his itinerary by using a historic French politics phrase of François Mitterrand “At last the troubles begin”.

Bairoux has in truth attempted several times to reach the upper echelons of French political life, always – until now – failing…

The long list of “near misses”

The first attempt for the upper echelons was recorded in 2007 when in the first round of the presidential election he scored almost 19% but ranked third and would not be in the second round. The Segoclean Ruayal who has the second position approaches him more than twice giving him the seat in Matignon. The only condition she sets for him is to openly support her and ask those who supported him to vote for her in the second round. Bayrou will choose silence and a conscience vote and the final and decisive meeting with Royal will never happen.

Ten years later, in 2017, Biaroux, who has lambasted current French President Emmanuel Macron as finance minister, does a U-turn after his first election and openly supports him. But the French president will not choose him in his narrow government and once again Matignon will remain a dream.

In 2022 again Macron will not put Bayrou’s name on the list of those chosen for the post of Prime Minister. Elisabeth Bourne and Gabriel Atal will share the burden until the French president’s surprise decision to call early elections after the crushing European elections.

Today, for the first time after a long and difficult struggle, Bayrou has the chance to fulfill his political dream. But the political situation in France is not what he had imagined. It may be that in the current circumstances, Macron’s proposal will not face an impeachment motion from the Opposition immediately, but it is a given that the way Macron has chosen to proceed and find himself in the next three months facing critical choices and perhaps even critical votes that will affect him.