By French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Michel Barnier, the European Union’s former Brexit negotiator, as his new prime minister on Thursday. The move aims to end political paralysis following an inconclusive snap election and comes as France faces pressing challenges, including the preparation of its 2025 budget.
Barnier, 73, becomes the oldest prime minister in France’s modern political history, succeeding Gabriel Attal, who was the youngest. The appointment of this discreet, conservative politician is expected to face immediate challenges in a bitterly divided parliament.
The leftwing alliance that won June’s election accused Macron of ignoring the election result by selecting a conservative. Jean-Luc Melenchon, the hard-left leader, declared, “The election has been stolen,” while another hard-left lawmaker, Mathilde Panot, called it an “unacceptable democratic coup.” The alliance has called for demonstrations against Barnier’s selection but lacks the seats to block the choice on its own.
The far-right National Rally (RN), parliament’s largest single party, indicated it would not immediately block Barnier’s appointment. Jordan Bardella, the RN leader, stated they would judge Barnier based on his “general policy speech, his budgetary decisions and his actions on their own merit.” However, the party reserved the right to use “all political means of action” if their concerns about cost of living, security, and immigration are not addressed in the coming weeks.
Barnier, a staunch pro-European and moderate career politician, toughened his stance on immigration during his unsuccessful 2021 bid for his conservative party’s presidential nomination. His political career spans decades, including roles as foreign minister and agriculture minister. Internationally, he is best known for leading the EU’s Brexit negotiations from 2016 to 2021.
Financial markets reacted positively to Barnier’s appointment, with French bank shares edging up, government borrowing costs falling slightly, and the euro nudging higher.
The appointment comes as Macron faces the challenge of implementing his political agenda without an absolute majority in parliament. Barnier will need to negotiate with other parties to pass legislation, a task complicated by the divided political landscape.
The RN has set conditions for not voting against Barnier, including the dissolution of parliament as early as July next year and support for changing France’s voting system to proportional representation.
As Barnier takes office, he faces immediate challenges, particularly in preparing France’s 2025 budget. Outgoing Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire has warned that tens of billions of euros in budget cuts are needed to address deteriorating public finances.
Barnier’s appointment marks a new chapter in French politics as the country grapples with economic challenges, political divisions, and the need for stable governance in a fragmented parliament.
