Former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has been appointed French prime minister.
After facing weeks of pressure following the tumultuous French elections, President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Mr Barnier to the post.
France has been in a state of flux since Mr Macron’s party lost its majority in parliament amid a rise in seats for Marine Le Pen’s far-right party.
Mr Barnier, who once described former UK prime minister Boris Johnson as a “bulldozer”, led the EU’s talks with Britain over its exit from the bloc from 2016 to 2021.
Prior to that, the conservative politician held roles in various French governments and was also EU Commissioner.
He is staunchly pro-European and has spent his career as a moderate politician, though he toughened his discourse considerably during his failed 2021 bid to get his conservative party’s ticket for the presidential election, saying immigration was out of control.
President Macron had considered a string of candidates for prime minister, searching for someone with enough support to guarantee a stable government.
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Source : Sky News
