Former chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier made a surprising political comeback yesterday as he was named as France’s oldest ever prime minister.
In an appointment designed to finish two months of political impasse in Paris, the 73-year-old has been requested to type ‘a unifying authorities within the service of the nation’.
Mr Barnier grew to become a bete noire of Brexiteers due to his robust bargaining expertise through the Brexit negotiations.
However French president Emmanuel Macron is hoping the previous minister would possibly be capable of maintain collectively a brand new authorities following July’s snap election.
Mr Barnier has beforehand praised Sir Keir Starmer, who was shadow Brexit secretary by the bitter divorce proceedings between the UK and Brussels.
Former Prime Minister Theresa Might with Mr Barnier. Mr Barnier grew to become a bete noire of Brexiteers due to his robust bargaining expertise through the Brexit negotiations
Mr Barnier has beforehand praised Sir Keir Starmer, who was shadow Brexit secretary by the bitter divorce proceedings between the UK and Brussels (pictured Stamer assembly Barnier in 2018)
French President Emmanuel Macron with Mr Barnier in 2020. The French president is hoping the previous minister would possibly be capable of maintain collectively a brand new authorities following July’s snap election
The French politician final 12 months described the now-Prime Minister as ‘a European like me – a patriot and European’.
In his diaries, Mr Barnier described Sir Keir because the British politician ‘who impresses me essentially the most for his means to know intimately what’s at stake in Brexit negotiations. I get the sensation that Keir Starmer will sooner or later be UK prime minister’. Requested for Sir Keir’s response to Mr Barnier’s appointment, a Downing Road spokesman mentioned: ‘We want him all the perfect in his new function. The UK enjoys a robust relationship with France.
‘The PM visited Paris simply final week, and we’re dedicated to working collaboratively on our shared priorities, from tackling unlawful migration to supporting Ukraine and delivering sustainable financial progress.’
She added: ‘We need to reset our relationships with the EU and make Brexit work higher for British individuals.’
However Reform UK chief Nigel Farage was scathing about Mr Barnier’s appointment, describing him as ‘an EU fanatic that can go well with sell-out Starmer’.
Tory former Brexit secretary Sir David Davis described him as a ‘strong Frenchman’, who’s ‘regular’ and capable of deal with strain. ‘The present prime minister of France goes to have a number of troublesome political duties to steadiness and I feel he’ll do a great job of it,’ he instructed BBC Radio 4’s PM programme.
Requested what Mr Barnier can be like with British relations, he mentioned: ‘It is going to be no totally different from what the European Union stance at all times is, which is they’ll search for their benefit.
In an appointment designed to finish two months of political impasse in Paris, the 73-year-old Michel Barnier (pictured) has been requested to type ‘a unifying authorities within the service of the nation’
Newly appointed Prime Minister Barnier shakes palms with outgoing Prime minister Gabriel Attal. Attal who was lower than half his age and who served solely eight months in workplace throughout a interval of political turbulence unprecedented in current instances in France
Mr Barnier when he was The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator in 2020. However the choice to call Mr Barnier as prime minister was greeted with dismay by the French Left, who will search to topple him with a no-confidence movement
Controversially, Mr Macron seems to be relying on the far-Proper Nationwide Rally of Marine Le Pen (pictured) to maintain Mr Barnier in energy
‘Nothing comes for nothing with the European Union, and Michel will agree with that technique totally – he won’t change that in any respect – as certainly Macron agrees too.’
Mr Barnier succeeds Gabriel Attal, 35, who was lower than half his age and who served solely eight months in workplace throughout a interval of political turbulence unprecedented in current instances in France.
However the choice to call Mr Barnier as prime minister was greeted with dismay by the French Left, who will search to topple him with a no-confidence movement.
Controversially, Mr Macron seems to be relying on the far-Proper Nationwide Rally of Marine Le Pen to maintain Mr Barnier in energy by voting towards such a movement.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings