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Barnier government

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Barnier government
45th Government of French Fifth Republic
Date formed5 September 2024 (2024-09-05)
People and organisations
President of the RepublicEmmanuel Macron
Prime MinisterMichel Barnier
No. of ministers42[a]
Member parties
  •   RE
  •   LR
  •   MoDem
  •   HOR
  •   UDI
  •   PR
Status in legislature
  • Minority (September – December 2024)
  • Caretaker (December 2024 – present)
    212 / 577 (37%)



History
Election2024 French legislative election
PredecessorAttal government
SuccessorTBD

The Barnier government (French: gouvernement Barnier) is the forty-fifth and caretaker government of France during the period of the French Fifth Republic. It was formed in September 2024 after President Emmanuel Macron appointed Michel Barnier as Prime Minister on 5 September, replacing caretaker Gabriel Attal. It has been serving as a caretaker government since 5 December 2024.

On 5 September, Barnier was invited by Emmanuel Macron to "form a unity government".[1] With only 212 out of 577 seats in the National Assembly, the centre-right coalition began as one of the smallest minority governments in French history, having to rely in the lower house on support or neutrality from other parties, including the National Rally. It taking office also marked the first time under the Fifth Republic a government had a majority in the Senate, but not in the National Assembly.[2]

On 4 December 2024, the Barnier government collapsed after the National Assembly passed a motion of no confidence in a 331–244 vote.[3] It was the first French government to be toppled by Parliament since 1962. Following the vote, Barnier and his government resigned the following day and is currently staying on as a caretaker government until a new government is formed.[4][5]

Formation

Context

After the dissolution of the 16th legislature by Macron on 9 June 2024, the early legislative election took place on 30 June and 7 July. While the National Rally was originally anticipated to obtain a majority or plurality, it came third in seats behind the New Popular Front and Ensemble.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, having only served six months in office, offered his resignation to Macron, who accepted it on 16 July. The day before the opening of the Paris Olympic Games, the New Popular Front designated Lucie Castets to be its candidate for the premiership. In reaction, arguing that "no one won [the elections]", Macron announced the holding of consultations to form a government.[6]

On 16 August, at the end of the Olympic Games, Macron invited party leaders and presidents of parliamentary groups from both chambers to the Palais de l'Élysée on 23 August to try to form a government.[7] After the President met the party leaders and the presidents of parliamentary groups, Macron's office announced in a press release on 26 August that Castets would not be appointed prime minister.[8]

On 2 September, Emmanuel Macron met with Bernard Cazeneuve, former Socialist Prime Minister from 2016 to 2017, and Xavier Bertrand, current Hauts-de-France region president, as they were touted as top contenders for the premiership.[9] Faced with the risk of a successful vote of no confidence, the appointment of Michel Barnier was considered on 4 September.[10] On 5 September, almost two months after the second round of legislative elections, Macron appointed him as PM. While the NFP announced it would move a motion of no confidence against any government not led by them, the National Rally announced that it will wait for the general policy statement of the new government before deciding whether to support any motions of no confidence.[11]

Barnier's appointment was met with ire from the NFP and its supporters, who claimed that Macron's appointment of a conservative PM favorable to Macron's centrist policies was unrepresentative of the voting results, and amounted to a "denial of democracy". Left-wing parties called on their members to join the nationwide demonstrations, with the Socialist Party being the only main alliance member of the NFP to not explicitly call on its supporters to participate. Protests were held on 7 September 2024. According to organizers, roughly 300,000 participated, with about 160,000 protesting in Paris.[12] France's Interior Ministry estimated that there were 110,000 nationwide protesters, with 26,000 in Paris.[13]

On 9 October, the Barnier government survived a no-confidence vote brought by the New Popular Front, which fell 92 votes short of the 289 needed. The National Rally supported the government by not voting for the motion.[14]

Collapse

On 2 December, Barnier pushed through a social security financing bill, using Article 49.3, which allows a vote of no confidence. A motion of no confidence was called by the New Popular Front and the National Rally resulting in the collapse of the government.[15] The motion passed 331-244, only 3 months after its formation, making the Barnier government the shortest in the history of the French Fifth Republic.

Composition

Barnier's ministers were named on 21 September, formed of centrists and conservatives.[16] All ministers are placed in the order of precedence defined by the Order of the Protocol defined by the Elysée when the government was announced.[citation needed]

Ministers

Portfolio Name Party
Prime Minister Michel Barnier LR
Minister for Justice Didier Migaud SE
Minister for Territorial Partnerships and Decentralization Catherine Vautrin RE
Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau LR
Minister of National Education Anne Genetet RE
Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot MoDem
Minister for Culture Rachida Dati SE
Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu RE
Minister of Ecological Transition, Energy, Climate, and Risk Prevention Agnès Pannier-Runacher RE
Minister of Economy, Finances and Industry Antoine Armand RE
Minister of Health and Access to Care Geneviève Darrieussecq MoDem
Minister of Solidarity, Autonomy, and Gender Equality Paul Christophe Horizons
Minister of Housing and Urban Renovation Valérie Létard UDI
Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forestry Annie Genevard LR
Minister of Labor and Employment Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet RE
Minister of Sports, Youth and Community Life Gil Avérous SE
Minister of Higher Education and Research Patrick Hetzel LR
Minister of Civil Service, Streamlining, and Public Sector Transformation Guillaume Kasbarian RE

Deputy Ministers

Portfolio Attached minister Name Party
Minister for Europe Prime Minister and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Benjamin Haddad RE
Minister to the Prime Minister, Minister of the Overseas Prime Minister François-Noël Buffet LR
Minister to the Prime Minister, Minister of the Budget and Public Accounts Laurent Saint-Martin RE
Spokeswoman of the Government Maud Bregeon RE
Minister for Relations with Parliament Nathalie Delattre PR
Minister for Government Coordination Marie-Claire Carrère-Gée LR
Minister for Rural Affairs, Trade and Crafts Minister for Territorial Partnerships and Decentralization Françoise Gatel UDI
Minister of Transport François Durovray SE
Minister of the Sea Fabrice Loher UDI
Minister for Daily Safety Minister of the Interior Nicolas Daragon LR
Minister of Veterans Affairs Minister of the Armed Forces Jean-Louis Thiériot LR
Minister for Academic Achievement and Vocational Education Minister of National Education Alexandre Portier LR
Minister for Foreign Trade and French Abroad Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Sophie Primas LR
Associate Minister for Industry Minister of Economy, Finances and Industry Marc Ferracci RE
Minister for Social and Solidarity Economy, Interest and Participation Marie-Agnès Poussier-Winsback Horizons
Minister of Tourism Marina Ferrari MoDem
Minister responsible for energy Minister of Ecological Transition, Energy, Climate, and Risk Prevention Olga Givernet RE
Minister for Family and Early Childhood Minister of Solidarity, Autonomy, and Gender Equality Agnès Canayer SE
Minister for Persons with Disabilities Charlotte Parmentier-Lecocq RE

Secretary of State

Portfolio Attached minister Name Party
State Secretary for Citizenship and Anti-Discrimination Minister of the Interior Othman Nasrou LR
Secretary of State for Francophonie and International Partnerships Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Thani Mohamed Soilihi SE
State Secretary for Consumer Affairs Minister of Economy, Finances and Industry Laurence Garnier LR
Secretary of State for Equality between women and men Minister of Solidarity, Autonomy, and Equality between women and men Salima Saa LR
Secretary of State for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies Minister of Higher Education and Research Clara Chappaz SE

Notes

  1. ^ Does not include the Prime Minister.

References

  1. ^ "Michel Barnier nommé Premier ministre". Les Echos (in French). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  2. ^ Pierre Januel (8 October 2024). "Gouvernement Barnier : le Sénat, pilier du gouvernement". La Croix (in French).
  3. ^ "France's Prime Minister Loses No-Confidence Vote and Is Expected to Resign". NYT (in French). 4 December 2024.
  4. ^ "Barnier to resign as French PM after government collapse". BBC News. 5 December 2024.
  5. ^ "French PM Barnier Arrives At Elysee To Submit Resignation To Macron: AFP". AFP News. 5 December 2024.
  6. ^ "Résultats législatives 2024 : Emmanuel Macron lance les grandes manœuvres (et assure que « personne n'a gagné »)". 20 Minutes (in French). 10 July 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  7. ^ "Emmanuel Macron convie les chefs de partis le 23 août, pas de Premier ministre dans l'immédiat". La Voix du Nord (in French). 16 August 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  8. ^ "Nouveau gouvernement : Emmanuel Macron refuse de nommer Lucie Castets et lance de nouvelles consultations". Les Echos (in French). 26 August 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  9. ^ "Matignon: Macron "test" Cazeneuve and Bertrand, the Beaudet surprise emerges". TV5 Monde (in French). 2 September 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024..
  10. ^ "Nouveau Premier ministre: Michel Barnier, nouvelle "piste sérieuse" d'Emmanuel Macron?". BFMTV (in French). 4 September 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  11. ^ "L'ancien ministre Michel Barnier, figure des Républicains, nommé Premier ministre par Emmanuel Macron". Franceinfo (in French). 5 September 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  12. ^ Irish, John (7 September 2024). "Thousands protest in France against Macron's choice of prime minister". Reuters. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  13. ^ Khalil, Hafsa (7 September 2024). "France sees thousands protest over new centre-right PM Barnier". BBC News. Archived from the original on 7 September 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  14. ^ "France's minority government survives no-confidence vote as far right refuses to back motion". BFMTV. 8 October 2024. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  15. ^ "France in political crisis after no-confidence vote topples government". The Guardian. 4 December 2024.
  16. ^ Agence France-Presse (21 September 2024). "Macron names right-leaning French government under Michel Barnier". The Guardian.
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