Ex-Brexit negotiator Barnier named new French Prime Minister

Michel Barnier has been named the new French Prime Minister, ending a two-month political deadlock. 

Formerly the EU's Brexit negotiator, Barnier emerged as a leading candidate this week. Since Wednesday, politicians and media in France had raised expectations that a new head of government would be announced soon to succeed Gabriel Attal following elections in July that resulted in a hung parliament

After the poll, a left-wing coalition emerged as France's biggest political force but with not enough seats for an overall majority, while Macron's centrist faction and the far right make up the two other major groups in the National Assembly.

Conservative ex-minister Xavier Bertrand and former Socialist prime minister Bernard Cazeneuve had been seen as the initial favorites. But both figures fell by the wayside with the mathematics of France's new parliament stacked against them. 

In France, the president names the prime minister, who can then be censured by parliament.

Both Bertrand and Cazeneuve risked facing a no-confidence motion that could garner support from both the left bloc and the far right.

Both are implacably opposed to Macron and his policy record.

Barnier, 73, has been all but invisible in French political life since failing to win his Republicans (LR) party's nomination to challenge Macron for the presidency in 2022.

The veteran former foreign minister and EU commissioner is "Macron-compatible" and would not be immediately voted out by parliament, say analysts. 

"He is very popular with right-wing members of parliament without being an irritant on the left," said a minister in the outgoing government, asking not to be named. 

Earlier this week, far-right National Rally (RN) deputy leader Sebastien Chenu appeared to indicate his party would not automatically back a vote of no confidence against Barnier, as it would for Bertrand and Cazeneuve.

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