Linked to the right, the politician will have to deal with a fragmented Parliament; in the July election, the left emerged victorious, but without an absolute majority
French President Emmanuel Macron (Renaissance, center) appointed Michel Barnier as the country’s new Prime Minister on Thursday (September 5, 2024). The appointment puts an end to weeks of impasse and, according to a note from the Presidency, “comes after an unprecedented cycle of consultations”.
Barnier, 73, a centre-right politician who was the EU’s chief negotiator during the Brexit process, will have to form a new government with the ability to negotiate with the new composition of the National Assembly, the lower house of the French parliament.
The impasse in choosing the new prime minister was due to the fragmented composition of the National Assembly, since no coalition managed to obtain an absolute majority of 289 of the 577 seats in the last elections. The French left surprised everyone and emerged victorious in the second round of the election, held in early July. The NFP (New Popular Front), a coalition hastily formed to defeat the right-wing RN (National Rally), secured 182 seats in the Lower House of Parliament.
Despite this, Macron ruled out choosing a prime minister from the NFP after other parties and coalitions indicated they would vote against the choice. The coalition had nominated Lucie Castets for the post.
The French constitution allows the president to appoint the prime minister, a prerogative Macron used when he rejected Castets. The president justified the decision as a measure to maintain the “institutional stability” in a divided Parliament.
Following Macron’s refusal to appoint her, the NFP accused the president of abuse of power. The France Insoumise party, which is part of the New Popular Front, released a statement condemning the decision.The President of the Republic has just made an exceptionally serious decision. He does not recognize the result of the universal suffrage that put the New Popular Front in the lead in the votes.”declared on August 27.
According to the note from the French Presidency (fullin French – PDF – 60 kB), Macron sought to ensure “that the Prime Minister and the future government would meet the conditions to be as stable as possible.”
According to the curriculum (fullin English – PDF – 199 kB) by Barnier released by the EU when he took over as Brexit negotiator, he has previously held the posts of French Minister for the Environment, Europe, Foreign Affairs and Agriculture. He was also a special adviser on European defence and security policy to the Presidency of the European Commission.
FRENCH SEMI-PRESIDENTIALISM
France’s system of government is semi-presidential, the same as that used in Portugal, for example. In the French system, the president, directly elected by the citizens, represents the State, while the prime minister represents the government.
The prime minister is appointed by the president, but cannot be removed from office – except in the event of the dissolution of Parliament, which Macron did on June 9.
Among the obligations of the President of France, the following are his exclusive competences:
- head the French Armed Forces;
- ensure compliance with the Constitution;
- to schedule referendums;
- ratify international treaties;
- appoint the prime minister and government ministers.
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