() – Michel Barnier, the European Union’s former chief Brexit negotiator, has been named France’s new prime minister, the French President’s Office said, ending two months of deadlock following an inconclusive parliamentary election.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Elysée Palace said: “The President of the Republic has appointed Michel Barnier as Prime Minister. He must form a united government to serve the country and the French people.”
The statement added that Barnier’s appointment comes after “an unprecedented cycle of consultations” to ensure a stable government.
Barnier, 73, a staunch Europhile, is a member of the Republicans party, which represents the traditional right. He is known internationally for his role as mediator in Britain’s exit from the European Union.
A 40-year veteran of French and European politics, Barnier has held various ministerial positions in France, including Foreign Affairs, Agriculture and the Environment. He was a European Commissioner on two occasions and an advisor to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. In 2021, Barnier announced his candidacy for the presidential election, but failed to gather enough support within his party.
Macron accepted the resignation of former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and his government in July after his centrist Ensemble alliance was defeated in the second round of France’s snap parliamentary elections. Since then, the president has faced calls from across the political spectrum to name a new prime minister. Last week, Macron told reporters during a trip to Serbia that he was “making all necessary efforts” to finalize a name.
Barnier’s prospects for forming a stable government are unclear. France’s far-right National Rally (RN) is currently one of the largest parties in parliament following elections in early July. He has previously suggested that he might be open to working with Barnier and would not immediately veto him.
Yet RN politician Laurent Jacobelli spoke disparagingly of Barnier, telling French television channel TF1: “They are dragging out of mothballs those who have governed France for 40 years.”
Barnier was the chief negotiator during the UK’s exit from the European Union. The lengthy talks between London and Brussels stretched from 2016 to 2021 and he is known among the Brexiteers in the United Kingdom for pushing through tough negotiations.
Born in January 1951 in a suburb of the Alpine city of Grenoble, Barnier was first elected to parliament at the age of 27.
This news is in development and will be updated soon.
Add Comment