President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Michel Barnier, the former Brexit negotiator for the European Union, as France’s new prime minister following over 50 days of caretaker government. Macron and his aides spent weeks searching for a candidate who could build support in parliament and fend off attempts to topple the new government.
Barnier, 73, has been tasked with forming a unifying government to serve the French people. He is known for his political experience, having served in various ministerial roles in France and as a European Commissioner. Despite this, he has never held a leadership position like president or prime minister until now.
The appointment of Barnier comes after former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal’s resignation following a divided and hung parliament. Macron kept Attal and the ministers on in a caretaker capacity to avoid political instability during the Paris Olympics. However, political tensions remain high, with far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon opposing Barnier’s appointment and predicting a lack of majority support in the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, far-right leader Marine Le Pen has indicated willingness to work with Barnier on the 2025 budget, an urgent task for the new government due to financial pressure from the EU. Le Pen stated that compromises will need to be made given the state of France’s budget and her party will not participate in the government. Macron will be hoping that Barnier can navigate the challenging political landscape and bring stability to France as its new prime minister.
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