France's new PM tackles first challenge of forming cabinet

PARIS

France's new right-wing Prime Minister Michel Barnier started consulting all sides on Sept. 6 to cobble together a government capable of mustering a majority in parliament after two months of political deadlock.

The 73-year-old, a former foreign minister who recently acted as the European Union's Brexit negotiator, is the oldest premier in the history of modern France.

Taking over from 35-year-old Gabriel Attal, Barnier pledged to take on his new task with "humility."

He said education, security and "immigration control" were his priorities and said he would be unafraid to speak the truth on the country's "financial debt", but also promised "change."

President Emmanuel Macron named Barnier after weeks of impasse as his centrist alliance lost its relative majority in parliament in a snap election.

The election saw a left-wing alliance emerge as France's biggest political force, but without enough seats for an overall majority.

Instead the anti-immigration far-right National Rally (RN) of Marine Le Pen became the single largest party in the lower chamber with the most votes in any confidence motion, followed by Macron's centrist group.

Le Pen, who leads RN lawmakers in parliament, has said her party would not be part of the new cabinet, but would wait for Barnier's first policy speech in front of parliament to decide whether or not to back him.

The left in particular has reeled at Barnier's nomination and will likely seek to topple him in the lower house.

Le Monde daily described Barnier as a "prime minister under the surveillance of the RN".

The left-leaning Liberation daily put a picture of Barnier on its front page with "approved by Marine Le Pen" as a rubber stamp.