The EU’s former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has simply been appointed to be France’s new prime minister – and Eurosceptics with lengthy reminiscences aren’t completely happy.
French politics has been going by way of a tumultuous interval since president Emmanuel Macron’s get together misplaced its majority in parliament and the far-right noticed an enormous uptick in help.
Though Macron selected Barnier, the previous EU commissioner nonetheless must survive a vote of confidence in parliament to get the job.
And whereas the French president might even see Barnier as a unifying determine, Brexiters over within the UK definitely don’t.
Barnier led the EU negotiations with Britain between 2016 and 2021. He was recognized for taking a very agency stance in opposition to the UK, and calling then-PM Boris Johnson a “bulldozer”.
In response to Barnier’s appointment, Reform chief and Clacton MP Nigel Farage posted on X: “Michel Barnier turns into the brand new French prime minister. An EU fanatic that may swimsuit sell-out Starmer.”
Former Brexit Get together MEP, Alex Phillips, posted a a lot angrier message, writing that his appointment was proof “the machine doesn’t even attempt to conceal the actual fact anymore that as a substitute of rigging elections, it simply ignores them.”
In the meantime, John hayes, the Tory MP for South Holland and Deepings, one of many constituencies with the very best stage of help for Go away in 2016, lashed out on the former negotiator.
instructed GB Information: “We thought we’d seen the final of ‘Monsieur Barnier’ after the Brexit negotiations – the place he was decided to get Britain the worst doable deal.”
Former Tory chief and MP for Chingford and Woodford, Iain Duncan Smith, additionally instructed the broadcaster that Barnier’s appointment “reveals the desperation of France”.
A query mark stays over Barnier’s job, although, as he nonetheless wants most of parliament to again him.
Marine Le Pen, chief of the far-right Nationwide Rally in France, has already introduced her get together wouldn’t again Barnier in a coalition authorities.