The senatorial elections on Sunday, September 27, have not yet passed, but another issue, with its own votes, is already preparing in the Senate. That of posts of responsibility. As after every renewal by half of the Upper Assembly, the governing bodies of the Senate are also up for grabs. Here we are talking about the presidencies of commissions, delegations, as well as the Senate's bureau, composed of vice-presidents, treasurers and secretaries of the Senate, where the groups are represented according to their weight. For the presidency of the Senate, no false suspense: Gérard Larcher should return to the Plateau as in 2008, 2014, 2017, 2020 and 2023. In 2011, the socialist Jean-Pierre Bel had won. The Yvelines LR senator has already officially announced his candidacy for his own succession. For the presidency of the finance commission, an important commission because it examines the budget every year, it returns to the first opposition group, namely the PS group. To succeed Claude Raynal, it is the PS senator of Sarthe, Thierry Cozic, who is on the list. He is renewable. So far, he is the only candidate. Thierry Cozic was already the head of the socialist senators on the budget. For the essential position of general rapporteur of the finance commission, it will be necessary to succeed the LR senator Jean-François Husson. The Meurthe-et-Moselle senator has served twice three years, that is the maximum provided for in the internal regulations of the LR group. He must therefore pass the baton, and it is the LR senator of Hauts-de-Seine, Christine Lavarde, who is officially a candidate. She could find herself facing the LR senator of Cantal, Stéphane Sautarel, who does not hide his interest in the position. He must first be re-elected in his department. In her presentation document, Christine Lavarde explains wanting to make the budget "a document that everyone can understand," emphasizing that the Senate "has a singular responsibility in the defense of the collectivities." These are two different profiles, as deciphered by an LR senator: "Christine Lavarde's competence is unanimously recognized. Stéphane as well. But they are on two different positions. Stéphane Sautarel is a rural and that counts," when the senator comes from Île-de-France, not necessarily an asset in the Senate. "Stéphane Sautarel is a very good expert in local public finances, but some unfairly blame him for the fiscal device of dilico, which led to some departments or communes that had well managed to pay. But people forget that dilico allowed to avoid a much stronger levy on the collectivities. Instead of 5 or 6 billion euros, we only had 2 billion," notes an LR senator. "Christine Lavarde also has a technical side, but she has a bit rounded," remarks a member of the LR group, who adds that "she is a young woman, that counts anyway. We need renewal and feminization." As a whip, that is, coordinator of the LR group on the budget, the Hauts-de-Seine senator appears to be the natural successor of Jean-François Husson, with whom she has worked closely. "She has done the job very well," praises a colleague. But beware of the favorite image. "In 2020, there were four candidates, including Christine Lavarde. Philippe Dallier was the favorite. But it was Jean-François Husson who won," recalls an LR senator, who adds that "if the senators are very sensitive to the CV, they are also to the political and human qualities of the candidates." If there are indeed two candidates, the LR senators will distinguish them during an internal vote in the group on Monday, October 5, at 4 p.m. Another important post: that of general rapporteur of the commission on social affairs, that is to say rapporteur of the budget of the Sécu. In the distribution of positions within the senatorial majority, between LR and the UMP group, the function goes to a centrist. After five years in the position, Elisabeth Doineau will pass on the baton. It is the UDI senator from the North, Olivier Henno, who is a candidate to succeed her. He was already rapporteur of the family branch. For the presidency of the commission on social affairs, however, there is no change: the LR senator Philippe Mouiller, in place for three years, will be reappointed. For the commission on laws, the same thing. The LR senator from Morbihan, Muriel Jourda, a loyalist of Bruno Retailleau, can again be reappointed for an additional three years, as well as the LR senator from the Territoire de Belfort, Cédric Perrin, for the presidency of the commission on foreign affairs, defense and armed forces. For the commission on economic affairs, it will again be the LR senator Dominique Estrosi Sassone, who has been in post since 2023, who will be reappointed, provided she is re-elected in the Alpes-Maritimes. However, the election is expected to be difficult for the outgoing senator, who is facing the rise of the far right in her department. A new presidency is expected for the commission on culture, education, communication and sports, which also returns to the centrists. Laurent Lafon, who has served six years, will pass on the baton. To succeed him, two centrists are on the list: Sonia de la Provôté (Calvados) and Pierre-Antoine Levi (Tarn-et-Garonne). New face also at the commission on territorial planning and sustainable development, which is also in the portfolio of the centrists. The Doubs senator, Jean-François Longeot, should pass the baton to the Seine-Maritime senator, Pascal Martin, who must first be re-elected in Seine-Maritime. For the European affairs commission, Jean-François Rapin is forced to pass on the baton, having been in post for six years. Several names are mentioned among the LR for succeeding him, including the senator of the French living abroad, Ronan le Gleut. Born in Berlin, he is "polyglot and good knowledge of Mitteleuropa," according to one of his colleagues. He intends "to bring down the European information to the Senate early enough," according to his candidacy letter. Also candidates are the Aisne senator Pascale Gruny, who has already been a European deputy, and the Yvelines senator Marta de Cidrac. A fourth name could come out of the hat, with the Côtes-d'Armor senator Alain Cadec, who was a European deputy. "It's a beautiful plateau, there is suspense," according to an LR senator. Another centrist for the delegation to territorial collectivities and decentralization, which should not change its head, with the senator Bernard Delcros. He is currently campaigning for his re-election in the Cantal. At the delegation to women's rights and equality of opportunity between men and women, the centrist Dominique Vérien, who has been in post since 2023, can extend. At the presidency of the delegation to businesses, the LR senator Olivier Rietmann is expected to continue. For the main posts of the bureau, among the LR, there are three candidates for the position of first vice-president of the Senate, to succeed Didier Mandelli: the Oise senator, Olivier Paccaud, the Maine-et-Loire senator, Stéphane Piednoir, who was until now president of the Opecst (Parliamentary Office for the Evaluation of Scientific and Technological Choices), and the Hauts-de-Seine senator, Roger Karoutchi, former minister of Relations with Parliament. There will also be an internal vote. According to an LR group senator, "Bruno Retailleau does not support anyone, just like Mathieu Darnaud and Gérard Larcher." It remains to be seen whether the LR senators will prefer the experience of Roger Karoutchi, who was first vice-president from 2020 to 2023, or if they want to "rotate" the position, as said by a senator. For the position of female vice-president of the LR, it is the name of Laurence Garnier, senator of Loire-Atlantique, and close to Bruno Retailleau, who returns to succeed Anne Chain-Larché. She has also been designated as one of the spokespersons for the LR candidate for the presidential election. On the side of the centrist vice-presidencies, the Haute-Savoie senator, Loic Hervé, intends to continue. This should also be the case for his colleague from the Jura, Sylvie Vermeillet. At the position of treasurer, the LR group allows to exercise the function twice three years. The Aisne senator, Antoine Lefèvre, can therefore again occupy the position. The centrist treasurer Olivier Cigolotti could also continue. On the side of the socialist treasurer position, it will be seen if Marie-Arlette Carlotti extends. The internal regulations were modified last April, allowing now to occupy the position for six years. The PS vice-president is, as with the LR, limited to three years however. The PS senator of Ille-et-Vilaine, Sylvie Robert, will therefore have to pass on the baton.