Michel Barnier: The New Prime Minister of France

French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Michel Barnier as the new Prime ‌Minister ‌of France, nearly 60 days after the legislative elections. At 73 ⁢years old, Barnier is the oldest Prime Minister in the history of the Fifth Republic,⁢ with‌ a 51-year political career.

Barnier’s appointment marks a significant shift in French politics, as he replaces Gabriel Attal, who was the youngest Prime Minister in ⁢the history of the Fifth Republic. Barnier’s long and varied political career has seen him hold several important positions, including Minister of the Environment,​ Minister of European Affairs, and Minister of Foreign‌ Affairs.

Who is Michel Barnier?

Barnier‌ is a centre-right politician and a member‍ of the Republican Party (LR). He was​ born on January 9, 1951, in La Tronche (Isère) and began his political career in 1973 as a general councilor of the department of Savoie. He did not attend France’s National School ⁣of Administration, but he made history when, at age 27, he became the‌ youngest MP elected to the‌ French National Assembly.

Barnier has ​been married to Isabel Altmaier, a lawyer, since⁢ 1982, and they have three ⁣children. He has a long⁤ and‍ varied political career, having held several important positions, including President of ⁢the General Assembly of the Province of​ Savoie, Senator, Minister of the Environment, Minister of European Affairs, and‌ Minister of⁤ Foreign Affairs.

A Varied Political Career

Barnier entered the⁢ French‌ Parliament in 1978 as ​a member of the National Assembly for the ⁢Savoie region, becoming the youngest member of the assembly at the age of ⁤27.​ He held several important positions at the end of the last century, including President of the General Assembly of the Province of Savoie, Senator, Minister of the Environment, Minister of European Affairs, and⁤ Minister⁢ of Foreign Affairs.

Among⁢ his notable achievements is the organization of‌ the⁣ Winter Olympics in Albertville in 1992, thanks‌ to his role as president of the General Council of​ the Province of⁤ Savoie. He also‍ served ​as European Commissioner for Regional Policy (1999-2004) and as a⁢ member of the⁣ European Parliament in ​2009.

His Position on Immigration

Barnier’s critics have faulted him for his position‍ on immigration. During his Republican primary campaign in 2021, he proposed holding a referendum on immigration ‌when he took office. He also expressed his desire to free​ France from European restrictions on immigration, calling for⁤ constitutional safeguards to enable measures not currently permitted by European law.

Acknowledgment of⁣ Brussels…and Failure in Primary Elections

Barnier achieved great recognition in Brussels, where he served as European Commissioner for Regional Policy (1999-2004) and as a member of the European Parliament in 2009. He also served as European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services, a position he held for 11 years. However, he failed in his bid to become‌ the Republican ‍candidate for the 2022 presidential election.

Appointed to Matignon… Reverse ‍Position

Barnier’s appointment as Prime Minister⁢ was not⁤ a precedent for him, as he was invited to the post in 2020 but declined due to conditions imposed by President‌ Macron. His appointment has angered the left, who had been calling for him to head the government.

The Socialist bloc in the National Assembly announced it ⁣would not give Barnier confidence, citing his lack of political legitimacy and republican ⁤legitimacy. The hard-left leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, also criticized Barnier’s appointment, saying that he was closest‍ to the position of the far-right National Assembly.

Macron appears⁢ to be counting ​on the National Assembly, led by former​ presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, to avoid ousting Barnier in‌ a confidence vote. Le Pen ⁣said that her party would wait to hear Barnier’s speech on public policy before‌ deciding their position on whether or not to give him confidence.