France’s new president proving a keeper of secrets
PARIS — Not yet in power, France’s new president is already showing that he has one of the necessary skills for the job: the ability to keep secrets.
Even some of Emmanuel Macron’s most trusted collaborators say they don’t know whom he will name as prime minister — the most important first appointment after he takes power on Sunday.
Speculation surrounds a half-dozen names, some fairly well-known, others less so, but the fact that one in particular hasn’t leaked from the president-elect’s inner circle suggests either that Macron still hasn’t made up his mind or that his entourage is particularly disciplined and loyal.
A turning point in Macron’s run for the presidency also offered a clue that the 39-year-old keeps his own counsel and his aides on a tight leash when necessary. In a meeting with members of his campaign team on Feb. 22, Macron told them that he was about to get an endorsement from Francois Bayrou, a centrist former three-time presidential candidate whose support helped boost Macron’s campaign.