French PM Barnier to form government next week

New French Prime Minister Michel Barnier announced on September 11, that he intends to form his new government next week. 

This move could signal the end of a period of political uncertainty, paving the way for anticipated debates over the 2025 budget, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

"We're going to do things methodically and seriously," Barnier told reporters in the eastern city of Reims, adding that he was "listening to everybody" in a political scene split into three broad camps since July's inconclusive snap parliamentary election.

President Emmanuel Macron appointed Barnier, a 73-year-old conservative and former Brexit negotiator, to head the government following a snap legislative election. The election, which Macron called, saw a leftist alliance win the most votes but fail to secure an outright majority.

On September 5, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the appointment of Michel Barnier, 73, as the new Prime Minister of France. This long-anticipated decision follows a political stalemate resulting from snap elections two months ago, which left no party with a clear majority and stalled the formation of a new government.

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.

His selection comes after a surprising outcome in the legislative elections, where the leftist New Popular Front alliance emerged with the most seats, while Macron’s Ensemble coalition and the far-right National Rally followed.

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.