France’s New PM Says Government to Be Formed ‘Next Week’

AFP/APP

Reims: France is set to have a new government by next week, announced recently appointed conservative Prime Minister Michel Barnier on Wednesday. Barnier, who was in Reims, assured reporters that the formation of the new government would be done “methodically and seriously.”

Barnier, who is currently consulting various candidates for ministerial positions, is navigating a fragmented political landscape following July’s inconclusive snap parliamentary elections. The political scene is divided among three main camps.

Later on Wednesday, Barnier’s own right-wing Republicans (LR) party expressed readiness to join his government. The party saw a reduction to just 47 deputies in the 577-seat National Assembly after the July elections.

Barnier, who has previously served as the environment, foreign, and agriculture minister, and was the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, was appointed by President Emmanuel Macron last week as a compromise choice for Prime Minister.

Macron had delayed naming a new PM over the summer while seeking a candidate who could avoid an immediate no-confidence vote, following his decision to dissolve the National Assembly.

The National Assembly is now fairly evenly split among Macron’s centrist supporters, Barnier’s conservative party, the left-wing NFP alliance, and the far-right National Rally (RN).

NFP leaders have pledged to vote against any government not led by them after securing the most seats in the July election, though they did not achieve a majority.