Barnier, Beaune and Léglise-Costa all declined to comment for this story.
The president’s nod
Beaune had previously worked with Barnier during the grueling Brexit negotiations, so elevating him to Léglise-Costa’s old job would have been seen as a sign of the then-prime minister’s growing influence on European affairs. Beaune has also earned himself a reputation as a skilled political operator and a deft hand at managing the media.
The plan would have needed Macron’s support, as the French president is responsible for appointing ambassadors upon the recommendation of the foreign minister.
Léglise-Costa, a stalwart of French diplomacy in Brussels, has been in his post since 2017 and has been rumored to be on the way out several times before. | Pool photo by John Thys/AFP via Getty Images
The left-leaning Beaune was an early Macron supporter, but the two fell out over a controversial immigration bill that passed with the support of the far right in 2023. However, the French president backed Barnier’s proposal to replace Léglise-Costa with his former Europe minister, according to three of the people POLITICO spoke with that were aware of Barnier’s plans.
“They [Beaune and Macron] have made up since then,” said a member of Macron’s Renaissance party. “The president knows Clément’s qualities … and his passion for politics.”
Doubts remain over how wholeheartedly the French president has overcome his rift with Beaune. According to a French official, Macron wanted him to give up internal French politics if he became an ambassador. Beaune, meanwhile, has said he wants to become the mayor of Paris, and is rumored to have his sights set even higher.
Beaune may yet get the Brussels job, said one of the individuals familiar with Barnier’s machinations — unless his tell-all book, which was released last week, scuppers those chances once and for all.