"Centrist Ally's Criticism of Macron Ignites Political Crisis"

François Bayrou, a key centrist ally of President Emmanuel Macron, has declined to join the new government, citing a "difference of approach" on essential topics and criticizing a growing rift between the people and power structures. This move has cast uncertainty on the future of the pro-Macron coalition, particularly the role of Bayrou's Democratic Movement, which makes up one-fifth of the coalition's members of parliament. The decision has sparked controversy within the party and raised questions about the fate of its members who held cabinet positions in the previous government.