France’s new Prime Minister Michel Barnier has completed the difficult task of forming a government and is expected to present the composition of the future cabinet to President Emmanuel Macron tonight, the government said on Thursday.
The political landscape in France is still unstable after the snap parliamentary elections two and a half months ago, which failed to produce a clear majority or coalition capable of forming a government.
Macron appointed Barnier, a former EU commissioner, as prime minister two weeks ago and plans to present a new cabinet this week.
Barnier met with senior representatives of parties from Macron’s centrist forces and the conservatives, as he counts on their support for a future government.
During the meeting, which was also attended by Barnier’s predecessor Gabriel Attal, the architecture and balance sheet of the future government were presented, according to the government.
Macron’s centrist alliance finished second in the election, behind the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) alliance, which includes the far-left France Unashamed, the Socialists, the Communists and the Greens.
The new government is expected to be unveiled on Friday.
It is still unclear to what extent Barnier will fill ministerial posts with candidates from the left-wing camp.
The NFP had initially refused to join a government after Macron refused to nominate his own candidate for prime minister and instead chose the conservative Barnier to form a government.
