paris revolt 100 members french president emmanuel macron govern party expose tensions fledgling movement prepare elect leader handpicked saturday create 18 months ago macron still relatively unknown en marche membership rise quickly 360,000 membership free retain members could hard popularity wan follow rise power activists quit week say party help macron centrist triumph year presidential election parliamentary majority become less open lose appeal movement would things differently number defectors small none lawmaker complaints underline challenge 51-year old government spokesman christophe castaner face party chief need reinvent political movement castaner candidate tell party members ahead saturday party congress key accompany reform carry government parliament socialist three decades back macron election bid former lawmaker southeastern france castaner aim change opinion poll show macron image president rich also set transform en marche lrem establish party strength depth require compete next local national elections next ballot european parliament 2019 local elections 2020 early although mock empty shell rival long establish party en marche attract many newcomers politics quickly prove effective propel former economy minister socialist president francois hollande presidency supporters set 3,000 local committees across france months lead presidential election help make macron disadvantage army elect officials promote candidacy join en marche high hop say lack democracy party castaner election show autocratic way things say tiphaine beaulieu one members quit week issue strongly word statement condemn en marche become complain castaner leadership candidate say arrogance lack democracy feature party work opposition party also criticize en marche take macron task fact castaner may keep role junior minister relations parliament become party chief new world accord macron choose party leader alone elysee office socialist lawmaker luc carvounas write twitter refer president official residence elysee palace paris forty-eight percent voters trust macron pursue right policies france harris interactive poll show last month drop 57 percent survey elect may en marche officials say last six months en marche gain 160,000 new members loss 100 activists significant number euphoria victory pass quite normal may blue bite say laurent saint-martin 32-year old lawmaker involve politics join lrem activists still question simply work together say party build presidential parliamentary election many leave become lawmakers work government normal reconstruct french president 's party hit defections pick leader