A realistic message for his first visit

On his first official visit, Michel Barnier visited the Necker hospital in Paris. Speaking to hospital staff, he was keen to express his support, while emphasising the limits of future action: ‘We won’t work miracles’. This statement highlights the awareness of the challenges facing the healthcare sector, while demonstrating a willingness to work together to find solutions, despite the complexity of the situation.

Initial contact with healthcare staff and a promise to listen

On Saturday 7 September, Michel Barnier, who has just been appointed Prime Minister, made his first official visit to the Necker hospital in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, as confirmed by H24 NEWS on the basis of a report by our colleague Le Parisien. Arriving at the hospital at around 3pm, he visited the SAMU call centre before taking part in a round table discussion with hospital staff.

During the meeting, Barnier stressed the importance of the day-to-day work of public health workers, saying: ‘What interests me is the day-to-day work of public health workers. I will be just as attentive to this with my team and that of the government’. However, he tempered expectations by adding: ‘We’re not going to work miracles’, thus acknowledging the complexity of the challenges facing the hospital system.

A clear political shift: ‘The President will preside and the government will govern’

The day before, guest on TF1, Michel Barnier had already announced a new era for the executive, saying that government action would be based on renewed methods. He explained that his government would carry out its duties with responsibility and independence, while working closely with the President of the Republic. ‘The government will govern’, he said.

Without an absolute majority in the National Assembly, Barnier knows that his government will have to deal with sometimes opposing political forces, particularly under the potential threat of a motion of censure from the Rassemblement National. However, he asserted his respect for the voters of the far-right party, despite deep-seated ideological differences.

Clear priorities: health and public services at the top of the list

As Prime Minister, Michel Barnier emphasised his negotiating skills and said he was open to wide-ranging discussions, including with the left. Public health and public services top his agenda, promising to tackle these issues with pragmatism and determination to meet the expectations of the French people in this period of political transition.