On Tuesday March 31, 2026, during the weekly meeting of Droite républicaine deputies at the Assemblée nationale, former Prime Minister Michel Barnier directed several sharp jabs at group president Laurent Wauquiez. Tensions escalated quickly amid discussions on political news. The two men engaged in lively verbal clashes in the meeting room.
The weekly meeting of Les Républicains (LR) deputies, held every Tuesday at the Assemblée nationale, saw heightened tensions on March 31. According to Le Figaro, former Prime Minister Michel Barnier made several acerbic remarks toward Laurent Wauquiez, president of the Droite républicaine group.
Friction arose when Wauquiez praised an appeal in La Tribune du Dimanche. Signed by 90 ministers and parliamentarians, it calls for a single right-and-center candidate for the 2027 presidential election. Wauquiez described it as a "good initiative" worth supporting.
Barnier responded sarcastically: "I thank you for your support of this tribune that calls for…". Several sharp exchanges followed, leaving the atmosphere "very tense," according to attendees.
This internal clash within the LR group highlights divisions over right-wing unity strategies ahead of 2027. Deputies discussed various parliamentary news topics, but the verbal sparring overshadowed the session.
