Michel Barnier He promised to crack down on immigration And compared France’s borders to a “sieve” as he signaled a shift to the right in his first visit as the country’s prime minister.
The comments came as left-wing parties accused the new prime minister of wielding too much influence at the hard-right National Rally (RN) and called for nationwide demonstrations.
Speaking to national broadcaster TF1 on Friday, the former Brexit negotiator said: “There is still a feeling that our borders are a sieve and that Migration flows are not regulated.
“I don’t have much in common with the ideologies of the national rally, but I respect them.”
It is not the first time Mr Barnier has called for a hard line on immigration.
In 2021, he called for a three to five-year suspension of all immigration to the European Union, except for students and refugees, saying the current policy was “not working”.
Emmanuel Macron Nominated Mr. Barnier as Prime Minister On Thursday, a two-month search for a candidate who could not be vetoed by a hung parliament that includes a large voting bloc representing the RN and the New Popular Front, a left-wing coalition, ended.
Mr Barnier, 73, is a conservative and the nomination depends on him A clear endorsement from the RNwho said he would not veto his nomination.
The move angered left-wing parties, who together won the most votes but defied Mr Macron when he failed to win an outright majority in July’s National Assembly elections.
Lucie Cassets, the NPF’s candidate for prime minister, said Mr Barnier was “totally dependent on the RN”.
France’s Jean-Luc Melenchon Unbowed, a hard-left party, called for marches across France on Saturday.
Thousands of people, including union members and student groups, responded by taking to the streets and attending about 150 protest rallies.
In Paris, protesters gathered at the Place de la Bastille. Tensions rose as the police prepared for a clash.
In the southern city of Montauban, a rally speaker told the crowd: “The people have been ignored.”
Mr Melenchon said at the head of a rally in Paris: “The French people are revolting. They have entered a revolution.”
“There will be no truce, no ceasefire. I call you for a long-term fight,” he said
In an apparent attempt to address allegations of right-wing bias, Mr Barnier said he would draw talent from across the political spectrum to form his government.
“There is no red line”, he said of his possible choices for ministers. “We need to open the door … to all who want it.”
Mr Barnier said talks between centre-right conservatives and Mr Macron’s supporters over the composition of the cabinet were going well.
But he also said that Left party members would be welcome.
Mr Barnier added that he would push ahead with some of Mr Macron’s flagship policies, including an unpopular reform that would raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.
Both the RN and the NPF, which together control a majority in the new parliament, strongly opposed the reform.
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