Macron Names Michel Barnier to Be French Prime Minister, Breaking Impasse

Europe|Breaking Impasse, Macron Names Michel Barnier as French Prime Minister

President Emmanuel Macron of France appointed Michel Barnier, a veteran right-wing politician and the European Union’s former top negotiator on Brexit, as the new prime minister on Thursday, in hopes of breaking a political deadlock that has gripped the country since inconclusive snap parliamentary elections almost two months ago.

The French presidency said in a statement that Mr. Macron had entrusted Mr. Barnier “with the task of forming a unity government to serve the country and the French people.”

Mr. Macron’s announcement came as criticism of him mounted over an extraordinary delay in naming a prime minister. Weeks of consultations with political leaders proved fruitless as a rotating cast of potential candidates were floated by the presidency one day and shot down by opponents the next.

Mr. Barnier, 73, is a member of The Republicans, France’s main conservative party. His appointment is bound to infuriate the New Popular Front, the alliance of left-wing parties that beat expectations and won the most seats in the parliamentary elections in July. Their candidate for prime minister, Lucie Castets, a little-known civil servant, was summarily rejected by Mr. Macron.

“This appointment comes after an unprecedented cycle of consultations during which, in line with his constitutional duty, the president sought to ensure that the prime minister and the government would be as stable as possible and give themselves the chance to rally the widest possible support,” the statement from the presidency said.

Neither the New Popular Front nor any other party or coalition came close to the absolute majority of 289 seats required to govern unimpeded, and few parties were inclined to work together — leaving France without any clear governing coalition.