Share

Michel Jean Barnier is a French politician serving as Prime Minister of France since September 2024.

A member of a series of Gaullist parties (UDR, RPR, UMP, LR), Barnier has served in several French cabinet positions, including as Minister of the Environment from 1993 to 1995, Minister Delegate for European Affairs from 1995 to 1997, Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2004 to 2005, and Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries from 2007 to 2009. At EU level, Barnier was European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services from 2010 to 2014 and vice president of the European People’s Party (EPP) from 2010 to 2015. From October 2016 to 2021, he was the EU’s chief negotiator on Britain’s exit from the European Union.

Following gains by opposition parties in the legislative elections called by President Emmanuel Macron in the summer of 2024, the prime minister, Gabriel Attal, resigned. Macron initially refused his resignation, but accepted it on 16 July. On 5 September, Barnier was appointed as prime minister by Macron. The period between Attal’s resignation and Barnier’s appointment was the longest period that the French Fifth Republic had spent without a prime minister. Barnier is the oldest prime minister in modern French history. Dominique Moïsi, a French political scientist, described Barnier as a compromise candidate, chosen to be acceptable to parties from the centre, the right and the far right. 

In an article, Reuters stated that Barnier’s initial challenges as Prime Minister will be forming a new government, passing the vote of confidence (with a minimum of 289 out of 577 votes) and submitting the 2025 budget by 1 October to parliament, further remarking that it would “be no easy task with the budget deficit already this year running billions of euros over target, leaving Barnier tough choices about calibrating spending cuts and tax rises.” And risk the governments postion in parliament. 

On 6 September, Bernier stated that he would continue some of Macron’s policies, including refusing to repeal the raising of the retirement age to 64. On immigration he said “There still is a feeling that our borders are sieves and that migration flows aren’t being controlled.” In an interview, he remarked that the new government would include the “presidential camp” and “maybe maybe” ministers of the previous government. 

Barnier is faced with a National Assembly divided nearly evenly into three blocs: the leftist New Popular Front with a plurality of seats, Macron’s centrist to centre-right Ensemble, and the far-right National Rally. Marine Le Pen, the leader of National Rally, praised Barnier as “respectful of National Rally voters”, but expressed caution as to his legislative agenda. The New Popular Front rejected Barnier’s appointment and called for demonstrations against Macron.

Barnier has been a member of the Sustainability and Legacy Commission of the International Olympic Committee. and of the board of trustees of Friends of Europe, a Brussels-based think tank.