Former EU Commissioner Michel Barnier is appointed as the Prime Minister of France, following the decision of the country’s President, Emmanuel Macron.

The announcement from the French presidency comes approximately two months after the early elections, where no party won an absolute majority, leading to a deadlock in negotiations for the head of the new government.

The far-right party National Rally

On Thursday, the far-right National Rally, as stated by one of its MPs, will wait to hear Barnier’s positions on immigration and electoral law reform. As a result, they will not immediately reject Barnier, provided he meets certain conditions.

The 73-year-old conservative politician led the EU’s negotiations with Britain on Brexit from 2016 to 2021. Previously, Michel Barnier held roles in various French governments and was an EU Commissioner.