Barnier, who was an unsuccessful candidate in the primary to become the conservative presidential candidate in 2021, is also seen as having views on domestic politics that are more compatible with the far right than some of his peers. The former European commissioner has in the past called for a moratorium on immigration. He triggered a media firestorm when he said France should regain its “legal sovereignty” and not be subject to the judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights.
The pan-left New Popular Front is expected to be furious. Ahead of the appointment, the left-wing coalition said that the appointment of a government with the tacit support for the far right “would be a total negation of the parliamentary election that saw the French … massively reject the rise to power of the National Rally,” in a written statement.
The New Popular Front has repeatedly accused Macron of subverting democracy and ignoring the results of an election he decided to call. But Macron in recent days appeared to be eyeing a right-wing prime minister to protect his controversial pensions reform, which the left had vowed to unravel if they came to power.
Parliamentary politics
A breakthrough in Macron’s hunt for a premier came Tuesday, when the French president reached a deal with conservative leaders over the appointment of a right-leaning prime minister.
Les Républicains lawmakers, led by parliamentary group leader Laurent Wauquiez, wanted to keep their distance from Macron, but softened under pressure from grassroots supporters not to hand over power to the left.
The party moved from a radical manifesto along the lines of “it’s our parliamentary pact or nothing,” to a more conciliatory approach, willing to reach “an agreement to talk with [the centrists],” a top official from Macron’s coalition told Playbook Paris.
But with talks at a dead-end with the left, Macron needs the tacit support of the far right as the centrist and conservative blocs fall short of an outright majority in the National Assembly.
On Tuesday, Le Pen laid down her conditions for abstaining from voting a motion of no-confidence: “respect” for National Rally lawmakers; proportional representation at the National Assembly; a tough stance on immigration and insecurity; and support for working classes in the budget.