Fri Sep 06 16:23:00 UTC 2024: – France’s new right-wing Prime Minister Michel Barnier is consulting all sides to put together a government capable of mustering a majority in parliament after weeks of political deadlock.
– Barnier, 73, takes over from 35-year-old Gabriel Attal and pledges to focus on education, security, and immigration control as priorities.
– President Emmanuel Macron named Barnier after his centrist alliance lost its relative majority in parliament in a snap election following the far right’s success in European elections.
– The anti-immigration far-right National Rally (RN) of Marine Le Pen became the single largest party in the lower chamber, making Le Pen a potential kingmaker.
– Macron’s decision to appoint Barnier has angered the left, with critics accusing Macron of making Le Pen the de-facto kingmaker in French politics.
– Barnier is meeting with various political parties to discuss the makeup of a new Cabinet, with left-wing politicians likely to seek to topple him in the lower house.

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