French Prime Minister Michel Barnier on Thursday vowed to address the "anger and grievances" of the French at a handover ceremony at the Hôtel de Matignon. Barnier was named to the role after nearly two months of political turmoil following surprise snap elections that saw no party winning an outright majority. Read our blog to see how the day's events unfolded.
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Summary:
- Barnier is a former European commissioner and foreign minister from the centre-right Les Républicains party. He later served as the European Commission's head of relations with the United Kingdom and is credited with negotiating the latter's exit from the bloc.
- The announcement comes nearly three months after snap legislative elections put France into political deadlock when no party won an outright majority. The New Popular Front leftist alliance surprised everyone by taking the most seats, with Macron’s Ensemble coalition coming in second ahead of the far-right National Rally.
- Barnier's appointment has already angered politicians on the left, who maintain that the head of government should reflect French voters' clear preference for the leftist New Popular Front.
- Macron asked outgoing Prime Minister Gabriel Attal to remain in his post to ensure stability, notably as France hosted millions of visitors for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in July and August.
