French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Michel Barnier as the new Prime Minister, nearly two months after the conclusion of snap elections in France.
Barnier, 73, a former Foreign Minister and EU Commissioner, is best known as the chief Brexit negotiator who led talks with the UK government between 2016 and 2019. He is also the oldest French Prime Minister since the establishment of the Fifth Republic in 1958.
A veteran of right-wing Republican parties and a Gaullist, Barnier has had a long political career, holding various high-ranking positions both in France—where he served as Minister of Agriculture and Environment Minister—and within the EU.
Barnier will succeed Gabriel Attal, the youngest Prime Minister of France, who was appointed by President Macron in early 2024 and held the position until July.
Photo: EC – Audiovisual Service/Niklas Halle’n