PARIS (Reuters) – French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Michel Barnier, the European Union’s former Brexit negotiator, as his new prime minister on Thursday, after weeks of drawn out talks following an inconclusive snap election.
Below are a list of reactions from French political figures.
Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right National Rally (RN):
“After an interminable wait, unworthy of a great democracy, we acknowledge the appointment of Michel Barnier as Prime Minister of Emmanuel Macron.”
“We will judge his general policy speech, his budgetary decisions and his actions on the evidence. We will plead for the major emergencies of the French — the cost of living, security, immigration — to finally be addressed, and we reserve all political means of action if this is not the case in the coming weeks.”
RN parliamentary party leader and former presidential candidate Marine Le Pen:
“The National Rally will not participate in a government of any kind whatsoever of Mr Barnier’s. For the rest, that is to say on the fundamental issues, we are waiting to see what Mr Barnier’s general policy speech is and the way in which he leads the compromises that will be necessary on the budget.”
French far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon, part of the New Popular Front (NPF) leftist alliance that came first in the vote:
“The President has just decided to officially deny the result of the legislative elections that he himself had called.
“It is not the New Popular Front, which came out on top in the election, that will have the prime minister … The election was therefore stolen from the French people. The message was denied.”
Hard-left France Unbowed lawmaker Mathilde Panot, also a member of the NPF:
“52 days after the government was defeated at the polls, Macron continues to see himself as an autocrat. By appointing Michel Barnier, the president refuses to respect popular sovereignty and the choice made at the ballot box. Against this unacceptable democratic coup in a democracy, join us on the streets on September 7.”
(Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Peter Graff)
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