Former EU Commissioner Michel Barnier Appointed New French Prime Minister
French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed former EU commissioner and Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as France’s new prime minister, the Élysée Palace announced on Thursday.
The decision follows two months of political uncertainty after a snap parliamentary election, where a broad left-wing alliance emerged as the largest bloc.
However, no party or coalition secured a majority in the National Assembly, resulting in a hung parliament and challenging the formation of a stable government.
Barnier, 73, faces the task of building a government that can secure a working majority in the fragmented parliament.
A veteran politician with a career spanning decades, Barnier is a key figure in France’s centre-right Republicans party. He has held several prominent positions, including environment minister under François Mitterrand, foreign minister under Jacques Chirac, and agriculture minister under Nicolas Sarkozy. Internationally, Barnier is best known for his role as the European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator.
