Former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of France.
In the wake of intense scrutiny following the chaotic French elections, President Emmanuel Macron has designated Mr. Barnier for the esteemed position.
France has experienced significant upheaval since Mr. Macron’s party witnessed a decline in its parliamentary majority, coinciding with an increase in seats for Marine Le Pen’s right-wing party.
Mr. Barnier, who previously referred to former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson as a “bulldozer”, spearheaded the EU’s negotiations with the UK regarding its departure from the Union from 2016 to 2021.
Before this, the conservative figure occupied various roles in several French administrations and served as EU Commissioner.
He is a strong advocate for European integration and has maintained a stance as a moderate politician throughout his career; however, he significantly hardened his rhetoric during his unsuccessful attempt in 2021 to secure his conservative party’s nomination for the presidential election, asserting that immigration was spiraling out of control.
President Macron had evaluated an array of candidates for the prime ministerial role, aiming to find an individual with sufficient backing to ensure a stable administration.
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