Sat Sep 07 15:33:01 UTC 2024: – Thousands of protesters in France are demonstrating against President Macron’s appointment of a conservative prime minister, Michel Barnier
– The protests are a challenge to Macron’s decision to bypass a prime minister from the far-left bloc after a divisive election
– Barnier’s appointment is seen as rejecting the electorate’s will and has sparked unrest in the streets
– Barnier, who is assembling his Cabinet, has expressed a commitment to listening to public concerns, particularly about public services
– The far-right National Rally party is also watching Barnier closely, calling for their priorities to be included in his agenda
– Barnier, the oldest prime minister in modern France’s Fifth Republic, replaces Gabriel Attal who resigned after Macron’s government suffered a defeat in the July snap election
– Barnier’s appointment offers no guarantee of resolving the political crisis in France, as the National Assembly is deeply divided between the far left, far right, and Macron’s weakened centrist bloc.

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