PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday named the European Union’s former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as new prime minister, counting on the veteran politician to end two months of political deadlock after snap elections.

Barnier, 73, the oldest premier in the history of modern France, has been tasked with forming “a unifying government in the service of the country”, the presidency said.

In a striking contrast, the former foreign minister succeeds Gabriel Attal, 35, the youngest prime minister of modern France and less than half his age. Attal served only eight months in office during a period of political turbulence unprecedented in recent times in France. Macron’s move towards “cohabitation” with Barnier, a member of the right-wing Republicans (LR) party and not affiliated to the president’s centrist faction, was greeted with dismay by the left which will now seek to topple him with a no-confidence motion.

Controversially, the president appears to be counting on the far-right National Rally (RN) of Marine Le Pen to keep Barnier in power by voting against such a motion.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2024