The last time Emmanuel Macron was seen in public, he was wearing a dark bomber jacket, Top Gun sunglasses and a black baseball cap.

His rock star-like incognito appearance while he went to vote last Sunday in the coastal town of Le Touquet attracted attention on social media and news channels.

But, Politico comments, despite the momentary hype, the truth is that Macron has been avoiding the limelight lately. Apart from scheduled international engagements, he has not been seen in public for nearly two weeks.

Last Sunday, instead of Macron appearing on television to comfort his “hurt” voters after a landslide defeat in the first round of parliamentary elections, the Elysee Palace issued a brief statement by the president calling for unity.

“Removal” necessary

For the first time, Macron’s centrist coalition, embittered after defeat in June’s European elections, is fighting its last battle without its leader. And the reality is that his allies don’t want him on the campaign trail.

“We told him to stop [την εκστρατεία]… And it’s not really that he heard our message, but more that he was forced to hear it,” said a Renaissance party official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“[Ο πρόεδρος] underestimated how much the audience was turned off by his personality,” the same source added.

In recent weeks, top party figures have been pushing for Macron to stay away from the campaign trail, which a key ally called a necessary “distancing”.

For the 46-year-old president, who hogs the spotlight, comes up with new ideas and disrupts the status quo, the new reality is not the best.

The refuge of the Elysians

But like Napoleon forced into exile, Macron is preparing for the next battle: to rule France after a resounding defeat expected to come on Sunday. The French president may have to “cohabitate” with Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party, which is expected to win a majority in parliament.

In recent days, Macron has been busy consolidating his influence, making high-profile appointments and pushing allies for key jobs in Brussels, prompting accusations from Le Pen that he was staging “an administrative coup”.

On Wednesday, the government spokesman announced new appointments to the police and security forces after the weekly cabinet meeting. Dozens of senior officials have also been appointed to the army, navy and air force.

More appointments were expected, but faced with a growing outcry for administrative reshuffle, the president was forced to scale back his plan. According to Playbook Paris, a source close to the Elysee Palace ironically called it “a bit of a setback”.

Locked in the Elysee Palace, Macron considers the scenarios for the next day, after the far-right’s expected sweeping victory.

Still in the game

But how long will Macron stay away from the cameras? Not much it seems.

On Sunday night, once the size of the National Rally’s victory is known, the president will have to turn to choosing a new prime minister, which could take weeks if there is no clear majority in parliament.

“He will once again take the lead as the guarantor of France’s institutions,” said an unnamed source.

If the far-right wins a very large majority, Macron will be forced to appoint Jordan Bardela as prime minister. If not, the president could engage in lengthy coalition talks with his current rivals on the left and right.

But it is hard to see how Macron’s relations with his liberal allies will be mended and how his public image will improve.