Emmanuel Macron appoints Barnier for unified government role
France has appointed a new Prime Minister. President Emmanuel Macron has named Michel Barnier as the Prime Minister of France.
He has tasked Barnier with forming a unified government to serve the country and the French people. Barnier previously served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and as the European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services. His appointment, as a former high-ranking European Commissioner from the right-wing party "Les Républicains," comes 60 days after the second round of the legislative elections, which resulted in a National Assembly—France’s parliament—without a majority, according to DW.com.
Michel Barnier, a right-wing politician with Gaullist roots, is 73 years old, making him the oldest Prime Minister in the history of the Fifth French Republic. His extensive political experience includes serving as a deputy, a four-time minister, a two-time European Commissioner, and, most recently, the chief negotiator for Brexit on behalf of the European Union.
In 2021, Barnier ran in the French Republicans' congress, where he was chosen as the right-wing candidate for the presidential elections, but he failed in the first round, securing 23% of the votes. His name was also briefly considered to lead the Republicans’ list for the European elections on June 9.
Ultimately, François-Xavier Bellamy was preferred. Emmanuel Macron has assigned Michel Barnier the task of "forming a unity government to serve the country and the French people," as specified in a press release from the Elysée.
"This appointment follows an unprecedented cycle of consultations, during which, in accordance with his constitutional duty, the president ensured that the Prime Minister and the incoming government would meet the conditions for maximum stability and have the opportunity to unite the people as broadly as possible," the presidency added.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
