According to the French Interior Ministry, more than 100,000 people protested against Barnier’s appointment on Saturday. The demonstrations were called for by trade unions, student representatives and, above all, the left-wing party spectrum. The members of the left-wing alliance Nouveau Front populaire (NFP) accuse Macron of ignoring the result of the early parliamentary election. According to a survey published on Friday by the opinion research institute ELABE, 74 percent of French people also believe that Macron is disregarding the election result.
The situation after the early election was complicated: Macron’s Ensemble movement had lost its previous majority and ended up in second place. The NFP became the strongest bloc in the National Assembly, but does not have a majority of its own. The NFP includes social democrats, the Greens and the Communists, among others. The party La France insoumise (LFI) of the left-wing populist Jean-Luc Melenchon is also part of it. The RN became the third strongest force, followed by Barnier’s Republicans.
ORF analysis of Barnier’s appointment
ORF correspondent Leonie Heitz on the new prime minister, Macron’s decision for the former EU commissioner and the protests against Barnier.
Lengthy search
President Macron called the new election after Marine LePen’s right-wing populists gained ground in the EU elections. The French constitution gives the president the right to appoint whomever he wants to the office of prime minister. However, this person must be able to survive votes of no confidence from the opposition.
APA/AFP/Sebastien Bozon In Strasbourg and many other French cities there were protests against Barnier’s appointment
However, the NFP and RN together form a majority and could – if they work together – overthrow the head of government. Both camps have railed against some of Macron’s unpopular reform proposals. These include, above all, raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. Barnier announced that he would support the reform.
The search for a prime minister lasted over 50 days. The left-wing alliance was unable to agree on a candidate for a long time. Macron had promised not to put anyone from his own camp into the prime minister’s office. After lengthy talks, Macron appointed Barnier as the new prime minister on Thursday.
Barnier announced tougher migration policy
“With the conservative Barnier, Macron is relying on the right,” analyzed the “Neue Zürcher Zeitung” (“NZZ”). This implicitly means that Macron must hope for Le Pen’s support, the paper wrote. As part of the government talks, Macron also received the RN founder and current party leader Jordan Bardella at the Elysee Palace at the end of August.
In his first interviews, Barnier spoke out in favor of tightening immigration policy – a core demand of the RN. “There is still the feeling that our borders are sieves and that migration flows are not controlled,” said the 73-year-old. “I don’t have much in common with the ideologies of the Rassemblement National, but I respect them,” he added.
APA/AFP/Bertrand Guay RN boss Bardella: “Nothing works without us”
Barnier also called for members of other groups to support his government, including the left. “There is no red line,” he said. “We have to open the door – to everyone who wants it.” He also wants to bring members of Macron’s ensemble into his government.
The RN had already announced that it would support Barnier if he responded to the party’s demands in his government declaration. Party leader Bardella told the BFM TV channel on Saturday that Barnier was a prime minister under observation. “Nothing will happen without us.” The first test will come in October, when the National Assembly discusses the budget for the coming year.
