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President Macron’s recent appointment of Michel Barnier as Prime Minister is seen by some as a desperate attempt to stabilise his government amid growing political chaos. Experienced EU insider Barnier assumes the position at a moment when Macron’s party has lost its legislative majority – leaving the French administration open to opposition attacks and deadlock.
Who is Michel Barnier?
Barnier is best known for his pivotal role as chief Brexit Negotiator between 2016 and 2020. His career began in the 70’s within the DeGaullist party. He became deputy of the Savoie region in 1978, has four times been French minister and twice EU commissioner.
how did this unstable circumstance occur?
Startled by a grand defeat at the European parliament elections of June 10th, Macron dissolved France’s parliament and called for a snap legislative election, in a gamble to win over the french public by antagonising the “radical-parties” which compose the French president’s main political rivals, this bet, however, ended up backfiring, with his Renaissance party losing its majority in the National Assembly, leading to a fragmented political field, dominated by three major blocs: the radical left led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the centre, and the far right of Marine Le Pen.
Macron, seeking to stabilise his government and ease political tensions, has turned to Barnier, in what seems to be a desperate attempt to salvage a failed government. This context makes it extremely difficult to pass any crucial legislation and Barnier must now try to fix a fragmented French political landscape.
Barnier’s nomination
For many critics, notably those hailing from Marine Le Pen’s National Rally and Éric Zemmour‘s Reconquest party, Barnier’s appointment represents a continuation of the globalist and pro-EU policies that they believe favour Brussels’ interests over Paris’.
Moreover, His past in the EU reinforces the image of an establishment man, disconnected from the daily concerns of French citizens, particularly on key issues such as immigration and national sovereignty.
Furthermore, Mr. Zemmour himself has accused Barnier of being the “embodiment of Macron’s non-choice“. The leader of Reconquete implies that he is professing as a right-winger and then vanishing that trait, just like Elisabeth Borne”
The immediate challenge for Barnier is the preparation of the 2025 budget, a balancing act between domestic demands and European pressure to reduce France’s public debt. Implementing this budget will require not only negotiation skills, but also political acumen to form ad hoc alliances with centrist forces. However, without a clear majority, any coalition he might build is likely to be fragile and subject to chronic instability.
The opposition has not been slow to respond. Jean-Luc MĂ©lenchon, arguably the main leading figure of the radical left and founder of France Unbowed, has denounced Barnier’s appointment, describing Macron’s choice as a blindness to popular aspirations for real change, calling it a “stolen election” and has therefore called for the “most powerful mobilisation possible“, by scheduling around 130 protests.
For her part, Marine Le Pen, while willing to consider cooperation, remains uncompromising on the defence of national interests. As a result, Barnier must please opposing political forces while avoiding a vote of no confidence that could lead to the fall of his government.
Barnier, with his European experience, faces a delicate mission: to straighten out a government created on internal difficulties and meet both the expectations of Brussels and the growing demands of French citizens, hostile to Macron’s government, perceived as distant and elitist. While his appointment is intended to restore some form of stability, it is now up to him to prove that he can lead the government out of the current impasse.
