New French PM vows to toughen stance on immigration, hints at tilt to right

Conservative Michel Barnier promises to uphold some of Macron’s policies while tackling a divided parliament.

New French Prime Minister Michel Barnier says he will defend some of President Emmanuel Macron’s policies and toughen the government’s stance on immigration.

In his first interview since his nomination, Barnier said on Friday that his government, which lacks a clear majority in a hung lower house of parliament, will include conservatives as well as members of Macron’s camp.

Members from other groups, including the left, are also welcome to back the new government, he said. “There is no red line,” Barnier said, adding: “We need to open the door … to all those who want it.”

Macron named 73-year-old Barnier, a conservative and the European Union’s former Brexit negotiator, as prime minister on Thursday, capping a two-month-long search after his ill-fated decision to call legislative elections that delivered an unruly hung parliament.

Barnier faces the daunting task of trying to drive reforms and the 2025 budget through that parliament as France is under pressure from the European Commission and bond markets to reduce its deficit.

Signalling his readiness to hold up some of Macron’s widely unpopular reform policies, which likely includes taking political risks, Barnier said he was not prepared to repeal the rise of the retirement age to 64 from 62.

“We must not call into question this law, which was adopted in very difficult circumstances,” Barnier said but added he was prepared to adjust the policy to better protect what he called “the most vulnerable”.

The left-wing New Popular Front and the far-right National Rally (RN), which together have a majority and could oust the prime minister through a no-confidence vote should they collaborate, campaigned strongly against the reform.

Newly appointed Prime Minister Michel Barnier, left, shakes hands with outgoing Prime Minister Gabriel Attal during the handover ceremony at the Hotel Matignon in Paris on September 5, 2024 [Stephane De Sakutin/Pool/AFP]

‘Our borders are sieves’

In a sign he would take a rightward shift on some issues, Barnier said he would pursue tougher policies to curb immigration. “There still is a feeling that our borders are sieves and that migration flows aren’t being controlled,” he said, adding:

“I don’t have much in common with the ideologies of the National Rally, but I respect it.”

Macron’s political rivals earlier said Marine Le Pen’s party was exerting outsize power over the president, who nominated Barnier with the tacit support of the far right after spending weeks looking for a candidate who would not immediately be toppled by a majority of lawmakers.

The RN gave tentative support to Barnier’s nomination by saying it would not immediately try to vote it down but made clear it could withdraw support at any point if its concerns on immigration, security and pocketbook issues were not met.

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Al Jazeera and news agencies