French President Emmanuel Macron has selected Michel Barnier as the country’s new Prime Minister, ending a period of political deadlock following a snap election. The Élysée Palace announced that Barnier’s main task will be to form a unified government capable of addressing the needs of the nation.
Barnier, aged 73, brings extensive experience to the role, having led the European Union’s Brexit negotiations from 2016 to 2021. He is set to succeed Gabriel Attal, whose resignation earlier this year followed his centrist party’s failure to secure a majority in the parliamentary elections.
Barnier, a member of the conservative Republicans party and a dedicated pro-European, will become the oldest Prime Minister in modern French history. He has served in various governmental roles, including as foreign minister and agriculture minister, and twice as a European commissioner.
His appointment comes after what the palace described as “an extensive cycle of consultations” aimed at stabilizing the French political landscape. Barnier’s experience is expected to play a crucial role in uniting the fragmented political scene in France.
