France's new PM Barnier draws mixed reactions in latest poll

Voters in France have a generally favourable view of new Prime Minister Michel Barnier, but don't think he can hold the job for long.

According to the Ifop poll for the Journal du Dimanche, 52 per cent of people polled said they were satisfied with the appointment of 73-year-old Barnier, a former foreign minister who acted as the European Union’s Brexit negotiator, as head of government, Caliber.Az reports.

By comparison, 53 per cent of respondents approved the nomination of Barnier’s predecessor, Gabriel Attal, when he was appointed prime minister in January, 2024, becoming France’s youngest-ever prime minister at 34.

The poll was released after more than 100,000 left-wing demonstrators rallied across France on September 7 to protest against the nomination of Barnier as prime minister and denounce President Emmanuel Macron’s “power grab”.

Barnier’s appointment marks a potential turning point following two months of political chaos in the wake of snap elections called by Macron that left no group close to an overall majority in the National Assembly lower house of parliament.

Notably, on September 5, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the appointment of Michel Barnier, as the new Prime Minister of France.

Barnier, a veteran politician from the centre-right Les Républicains party, previously served as the European Commissioner and as the head of the European Commission's relations with UK, playing a key role in negotiating Brexit.

The appointment of Barnier has sparked criticism from left-wing politicians who argue that the prime minister should represent the voters' preference for the New Popular Front. Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally, stated her party would await Barnier’s policy speech before deciding on their support. Hard-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon condemned the choice, claiming it undermines the will of the French electorate.

In the interim, Macron has requested outgoing Prime Minister Gabriel Attal to continue in his role to maintain stability during a busy period, particularly as France hosted millions for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games over the summer.