President Emmanuel Macron of France appointed Michel Barnier, a veteran right-wing politician and the European Union’s former top negotiator on Brexit, as the new prime minister on Thursday, in hopes of breaking a political deadlock that has gripped the country since inconclusive snap parliamentary elections almost two months ago.
The French presidency said in a statement that Mr. Macron had entrusted Mr. Barnier “with the task of forming a unity government to serve the country and the French people.” Mr. Macron’s announcement came as criticism of him mounted over an extraordinary delay in naming a prime minister.
Weeks of consultations with political leaders proved fruitless as a rotating cast of potential candidates were floated by the presidency one day and shot down by opponents the next.
Mr. Barnier, 73, is a member of The Republicans, France’s main conservative party.
His appointment is bound to infuriate the New Popular Front, the alliance of left-wing parties that beat expectations and won the most seats in the parliamentary elections in July.
Their candidate for prime minister, Lucie Castets, a little-known civil servant, was summarily rejected by Mr. Macron.
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In an effort to end the political impasse that has plagued the nation since the country’s contentious snap parliamentary elections nearly two months ago, President Emmanuel Macron of France named Michel Barnier, a seasoned right-wing politician and the former chief negotiator for the European Union on Brexit, as the new prime minister on Thursday.
In a statement, the French presidency said that Mr. Barnier had been given the responsibility of “forming a unity government to serve the country and the French people” by Mr. Macron. “.
Dear Mr. Macron made his announcement as his uncharacteristic hold-up in appointing a prime minister grew more and more pointed. Consultations with political leaders for weeks yielded no results as a succession of possible candidates was floated by the presidency one day and rejected by opponents the next.
Alright, Mr. Barnier, 73, is a member of France’s largest conservative party, The Republicans. His appointment will undoubtedly enrage the New Popular Front, the coalition of left-leaning parties that surprised everyone by securing the most seats in the July parliamentary elections. Mr. Macron summarily rejected their choice for prime minister, Lucie Castets, a little-known civil servant.
According to the presidential statement, “this appointment follows an unprecedented cycle of consultations during which, in line with his constitutional duty, the president sought to ensure that the prime minister and the government would be as stable as possible and give themselves the chance to rally the widest possible support.”.
With few parties willing to cooperate, the New Popular Front and no other party or coalition were able to secure the absolute majority of 289 seats needed to govern without hindrance, leaving France without a clear governing coalition.
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