French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday named Michel Barnier as the country’s new prime minister, France 24 reports.
The long-awaited announcement comes some two months after no party won an outright majority in snap elections, leading to an impasse in negotiations over who should lead France’s government.
Macron then asked outgoing Prime Minister Gabriel Attal to remain in his post to ensure stability, notably as France hosted millions of visitors for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in July and August.
Barnier is a former European commissioner and foreign minister from the center-right Les Républicains party. He later served as the European Commission’s head of relations with the United Kingdom and is credited with negotiating the latter’s exit from the bloc.
