The President Emmanuel Macron appointed on Thursday the former European Brexit negotiator, the conservative Michel Barnieras new prime minister from France, whose main objective will be to form “a government of unity“and avoid its swift censure in a divided Parliament.
After a meeting at the Elysee Palace in ParisMacron has entrusted him with “forming a unity government” after weeks of “unprecedented” consultations to ensure an appointment “as stable as possible.”
“It’s going to take a lot of listening and a lot of respect. Respect between the government and Parliamentby all political forces and I will start working on it from tonight,” he said. Barnier in his first remarks as Prime Minister.
The center-right president opened a political crisis in France with the advancement in June of the legislative elections scheduled for 2027, which left a National Assembly, the lower house, with three main blocs, all far from an absolute majority.
The left coalition New Popular Front (NFP) won the election with the promise of repeal the reform of Macron’s pensions, and the president refused to name his candidate for prime minister, the economist Lucie Castets, on behalf of the “stability“.
Who is Michel Barnier and what are his goals?
To his 73 years oldthe several times French minister, European commissioner and Chief Negotiator of the UK exit of the European Unioncould count on the support of his party The Republicans (LR) and the Macron alliance. But this is insufficient in the event of a vote of no confidence, if both the far-right National Rally (RN) and its allies and the left-wing coalition vote in favour.
The RN of Marine Le Pen ruled out a motion of censure for now, waiting to hear his general policy speech, and reiterated its priorities: purchasing power, fighting against the “Immigration out of control” and insecurity, and modify the electoral system.
The left instead denounced a “regime crisis“, in the words of the socialist Olivier Faure, since Macron appointed a member of LR, who did not participate in the tacit agreement between the NFP and the ruling party, to stop the far right during the elections.
Forming a government and presenting a budget: the main points
In his maiden speechafter the transfer of powers with his predecessor Gabriel Attal, 35, the new head of government outlined his priorities: access to public services, school, security, immigration control, work and standard of living. “We will try to respond, to the extent of our possibilities, to the challenges, to the anger, to the suffering, to the feeling of abandonment, of injustice,” he added. Barnier.
In addition to form a governmentamong his first decisions will in fact be to present the Parliament by October 1st, the 2025 budgets and confirm whether to follow the recommendation of the acting Minister of Economy, Bruno Le Maire, to carry out cuts to reduce the deficit.
To overcome the political crisis will be the main challenge of Barnierthe oldest head of government since the Constitutional Reform that established the Fifth Republic in 1958. “French politics is sick” but the “Healing is possible“If we leave behind “sectarianism,” he said Attalwho became the youngest prime minister in January.
Source: Ambito
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