![Amine El Khatmi at the rally of the Republican Spring movement, in Nogent-sur-Marne (Val-de-Marne), July 3, 2021. NEWS, POLITICS, LE PRINTEMPS REPUBLICAIN (MaxPPP TagID: maxnewsfrfour766275.jpg) [Photo via MaxPPP]](https://img.lemde.fr/2022/05/31/0/0/5040/3360/664/0/75/0/13b84b9_1653989836492-maxnewsfrfour766275.jpg)
Emmanuel Macron promoted the most influential relays within the government during his first five-year term. He unreservedly accepted the support of his main figures during the presidential campaign. It left doubts hanging over several months as to the investiture of a dozen of its members under the banner Ensemble! in the legislative elections. The Republican Spring and its ideological allies hoped to see their loyalty rewarded. Their hopes were dashed. By denying them the constituencies to which they claimed and the positions to which they aspired in the new government team, the Head of State inflicted a snub on them.
Between Mr. Macron and the political movement founded in 2016, supporter of a so-called “combat” secularism, chaired by Amine El Khatmi and co-founded by Gilles Clavreul, is the break consummated? Is this the sign of a reversal of the President of the Republic on the question?
Within Renaissance (ex-La République en Marche, LRM), the subject has been divided since the first steps of the Macronist party. Between the defense of secularism « dure » – carried mainly by the former Minister of National Education Jean-Michel Blanquer, cantor of the fight against “wokism” et “Islamo-leftism”Marlène Schiappa, former Minister Delegate for Citizenship, and the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin – and that of a so-called secularism “liberal” – embodied by ex-socialists Richard Ferrand and Christophe Castaner, the president of the National Assembly and the leader of the LRM deputies, and which many say is shared by the president “inside” –, Macronie has never decided. Nor Emmanuel Macron, who let both lines exist while encouraging supporters of the first. At least until the nominations for the legislative elections and the appointments of the government of Elisabeth Borne.
“Thought Police”
The Republican Spring and those close to it firmly believed in their coronation. Sure of themselves. Too sure of themselves, perhaps. For several years, they have been infusing their ideas within public institutions, gaining influence, placing their supporters in ministerial cabinets. “They had ended up exercising a real thought police”, denounces a connoisseur of the subject. Testimony of the tensions which persist on the question, the man prefers to remain anonymous. Like others, he wants to save himself “to again be the target of the Republican Spring pounding on social networks”.
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