President Macron appoints "Monsieur Brexit" to form new French government

Shaafq News/ French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Michel Barnier, the EU's former Brexit negotiator, to form the next French government, following a two-month political deadlock after legislative elections that failed to produce a parliamentary majority.

The Élysée Palace announced Barnier's appointment on Thursday, replacing outgoing Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.

The decision came after Macron held discussions with leaders of the political parties represented in the National Assembly. Recently, he also met with former Presidents François Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy and political figures like Xavier Bertrand and Bernard Cazeneuve. Despite the dominance of the New Popular Union (NUPES), a left-wing coalition, in the early legislative election results, Macron rejected the idea of forming a government led by the alliance or its candidate for Prime Minister, civil servant Lucie Castet.

Michel Barnier, born on January 9, 1951, is a veteran politician with extensive experience in both French and European politics. He most recently served as the Chief Negotiator for the European Commission on Brexit from 2016 to 2019. Barnier has held various ministerial positions in France, including Minister of Foreign Affairs (2004–2005), Minister of Agriculture (2007–2009), and Minister of the Environment (1993–1995). He was also the European Commissioner for Regional Policy (1999–2004) and for Internal Market and Services (2010–2014).

With a decades-long political career, Barnier is well-known for his roles in the European Union, including leading negotiations with the UK during its withdrawal from the EU. Born in La Tronche in the French Alps, Barnier's early career included work in scouting and choral singing before graduating from the École Supérieure de Commerce in Paris in 1972.