After 51 days of an unprecedented political crisis, Emmanuel Macron has decided to entrust the reins of government to a veteran of French and European politics. At the age of 73, Michel Barnier, a former minister and key figure in the Republican Party, has been appointed Prime Minister. The announcement, made by the Élysée Palace in a press release published on Thursday 5 September, states that he is responsible for forming a ‘united government to serve the country and the French people’

Michel Barnier, who began his ministerial career in 1993, has served three times under the presidencies of Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy. In addition to his duties in France, he has distinguished himself on the European stage, notably as European Commissioner on two occasions and, more recently, as chief Brexit negotiator, managing the delicate discussions surrounding the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union. In 2021, he briefly re-entered French politics as a candidate in the Republican primary for the 2022 presidential election, with a programme focusing in particular on a ‘moratorium’ on immigration.

The Élysée emphasises that President Macron has ensured that the new Prime Minister and his future government can offer ‘the broadest possible conditions of stability and unity’. The challenge facing Michel Barnier is a major one, as he must now form a government team, almost two months after the legislative elections that saw a victory for the left. Prior to his appointment, the names of Xavier Bertrand, Bernard Cazeneuve and Thierry Beaudet had been mooted.