She is reportedly furious at Barnier for his decision and is “telling everyone that he is forcing his way through, that he is moving in her district and has no manners,” said an official belonging to the center-right coalition backing the government, who like others quoted in this piece, was granted anonymity to discuss internal politics. Both Dati and Barnier are members of the center-right Les Républicains.
One of Dati’s allies said she is now considering running in the by-election planned for September. Another individual close to Dati said she must run now, to prevent Barnier from emerging as “an internal rival.”
Dati is no small obstacle for Barnier despite his decades of experience in high-profile roles like leading the European Union’s Brexit negotiations. She cut her teeth in politics as a minister under then-President Nicolas Sarkozy before joining a centrist government last year — despite having called members of Macron’s party “traitors.” She has earned a reputation as a blunt — she once reportedly threatened to turn former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal’s dog into a kebab — polarizing political bulldozer who does not give up easily and leans into the spotlight.
As culture minister, she has bucked expectations linked to the role, shunning the intellectual elite for the glamour of red carpets at events like the Cannes film festival. In Windsor last week, she nabbed a seat next to King Charles himself during his state dinner with Macron.
A scene on the Seine
Barnier’s candidacy to represent the plush central Paris district in parliament was immediately welcomed by Les Républicains party leader and Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, and the party’s local branch also quickly fell in line behind the former prime minister.
But what should have been a shoo-in for any conservative candidate is quickly becoming a headache for Les Républicains — especially considering another prominent minister from Bayrou’s minority government, Clara Chappaz, is considering running.