His appointment has nothing to do with Brexit and everything to do with the state of French politics since president Emmanuel Macron’s bewildering decision in June to dissolve the National Assembly and call parliamentary elections.

Barnier, the EU’s former chief Brexit negotiator, has become France’s new prime minister, ending two months of stalemate following inconclusive parliamentary elections.

After making his name negotiating Brexit, one of the messiest muddles Brussels has faced in recent years, French Prime Minister Michel Barnier now faces an equally daunting task: running a country riven by deep political faultlines.

France's new prime minister has had a long career in politics, but Michel Barnier is best known even in his native France as the EU’s chief negotiator in the Brexit years. His task was to represent the European Union during talks with the UK government.

Paris: Michel Barnier, the European Union's former chief Brexit negotiator, has been named the new Prime Minister of France, the President's office announced on Thursday. The Elysee Palace stated, "The President of the Republic has appointed Michel Barnier as Prime Minister.

President Emmanuel Macron named Michel Barnier as France’s new prime minister on Thursday, hoping the Brexit negotiator and veteran conservative can work with the country's bitterly divided legislature to end political turmoil that has roiled Macron's presidency.

Thousands took to streets across France on Saturday to protest the appointment of conservative Michel Barnier.

President Emmanuel Macron's office selected the political veteran to give France's government the best "chances of uniting as broadly as possible."

More than 100,000 protesters marched in French cities to protest President Macron’s appointment of Michel Barnier as PM.

Choosing conservative Michel Barnier as his Prime Minister, French President Emmanuel Macron has tasked the 73-year-old veteran politician with a tricky challenge.