Coalition or solo ride? After Macron's tour of France, the upcoming European parliamentary elections in 2019 have provided a new impetus to REM, the president's party.

This vote takes places every five years in all countries of the bloc. And since 1976, three large parties or "groups", as they're called in Brussels, dominate the assembly: the European People's Party (EPP), the European Socialist & Democratic party (S&D), and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE).

The latter, closer to Macron's REM, hasn't received any formal application from REM.

"Formally, they haven't yet become part of any European group," said Didrik de Schaetzen, communication director for ALDE.

On paper, political relations are quite real: Macron is close to Belgium's Prime Minister Charles Michel and his Luxembourg counterpart, Xavier Bettel - whose parties are both affiliated with ALDE.

During the presidential campaign, REM's alliance with centrist political party MODEM - itself a member of ALDE group - had strengthened the links between Macron and Guy Verhofstadt's group.

But the affiliation is far from certain. "Regarding ALDE, [affiliation] will not happen automatically. We are more progressive than liberal. We want to speak with everyone," said Arnaud Leroy, one of REM's directors.

"For the 2019 elections, we want to disrupt the European political game like we did in France. We are more inclined towards creating something ex nihilo," he explained.