Becoming the face of ending political deadlock, what did the new Prime Minister say when he was appointed?

On September 5th, French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Michel Barnier, a 73-year-old veteran politician , as the new Prime Minister.

New French Prime Minister Michel Barnier. (Source: AP)

According to AFP , Barnier, born in 1951, is a member of the Republican Party, representing the traditional right wing. He was previously best known internationally for his role as the European Union's chief negotiator for the United Kingdom's departure from the bloc, also known as Brexit.

Mr. Barnier has 40 years of experience in French and European politics. He has held various ministerial positions in France, including Minister of Foreign Affairs , Agriculture, and Environment. He has served twice as a European Commissioner and as an advisor to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

The appointment of Mr. Barnier as the new Prime Minister of France has helped end a two-month deadlock in the process of forming a new government following the parliamentary (lower house) elections.

New French Prime Minister Barnier has the task of forming a new government. He takes over the premiership from his predecessor Gabriel Attal, 35, who held the position for only eight months during a period of recent political upheaval in France.

Speaking at his inauguration, Barnier pledged to work with “people of goodwill” to promote respect and unity in a politically divided nation, while emphasizing the people’s need for peace and stability.

He affirmed that the new government's priority would be to focus on addressing the challenges facing France, committing to listening to the aspirations and grievances of the people, as well as finding solutions to alleviate the difficulties they are facing.

Barnier's new government will focus on education, security, and immigration control, and will not shy away from but directly confront the country's difficult financial problems, particularly public debt.

On the same day, on social media platform X , EC President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed France's appointment of Barnier as prime minister, stating: "Michel Barnier has always been concerned with the interests of Europe and France, as demonstrated by his long experience."

On the same day, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also congratulated Barnier on his appointment as Prime Minister of France. Chancellor Scholz expressed hope that the two governments would continue to cooperate to shape the Franco-German friendship for the benefit of both countries and Europe.

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