The President

Aged 73 and in fragile health, Beaufort is a former French prime minister who dictates his memoirs from a country house near Evreux. He is blunt, principled, and deeply wary of manipulation, prioritizing France's interests over personal gain. He guards a hidden confession about a currency devaluation scheme, and uses his influence to steer events toward a principled outcome. His passion for European unity clashes with the opportunism of rivals, and he ultimately asserts that France deserves a leader who is not a crook or a liar.

Head of Beaufort's private office, Chalamont is a sharp, ambitious operator who wields influence to shape governments from behind the scenes. He argues against the European project on practical grounds and manipulates situations to his advantage, reflecting a politics of expediency. He discovers the danger of a secret that could ruin him and tries to orchestrate a clean transition, only to be confronted by Beaufort's resolve. His downfall would come from his own calculations and vulnerabilities.

An seasoned political insider and former adviser, Taupin operates through connections and memories of past decisions. He channels experience into guiding Beaufort, while maintaining discretion about the state’s delicate balance with finance and power. He represents the traditional political class that understands the stakes but moves behind the scenes. His loyalty is to the system as much as to individuals within it.

Odette is a figure within the upper circles, wife of a senior official, and part of the social fabric surrounding the central power. She embodies the genteel yet calculating side of political society and plays an observational role in the crisis. Her presence signals the reach of power into private lives and households. She anchors the domestic sphere amid national turmoil.

Melle Millerand serves as Beaufort's secretary, a trusted administrator who keeps records and secrets. She becomes a focal point when the incriminating document is sought, and her involvement in a bribery scheme reveals the vulnerability of even loyal aides. Her actions illustrate how power can sow fear and compel complicity. Her character tests the line between duty and self-preservation.

Monteil is the pragmatic finance minister navigating the currency crisis and central-bank pressure. He embodies government stewardship while balancing political reality and economic risk. He engages with the central bank and Beaufort’s circle, aware that decisions now will have lasting repercussions. His stance embodies the tension between fiscal prudence and political necessity.

Augustin is a steady, loyal friend of Beaufort from the countryside, a voice of enduring simplicity contrasted with political maneuvering. He represents the grounded, agrarian ties that anchor the former PM's personal ethics. His presence reminds the audience of the human cost behind political decisions. He symbolizes the old France whose memory informs Beaufort’s choices.

Dr. Fumet is Beaufort’s personal physician, a calm observer of aging and illness, who bears witness to the strain of power on the body. He provides a clinical perspective on the stress and secrecy surrounding Beaufort’s days. The doctor’s presence reinforces themes of vulnerability and trust in private spaces. He is a quiet lens into the price of leadership.