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Actions speak louder than words, new French PM tells cabinet

No theatrics, says Barnier as he seeks to change voters' perception that previous governments had been too arrogant

Published: Mon 23 Sep 2024, 4:26 PM

Updated: Mon 23 Sep 2024, 8:19 PM

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  • Reuters

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French Prime Minister Michel Barnier arrives to attend a meeting with the newly-named French government at the Hotel de Matignon in Paris, France, on Monday. REUTERS

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier arrives to attend a meeting with the newly-named French government at the Hotel de Matignon in Paris, France, on Monday. REUTERS

Newly-appointed French Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau arrives for a meeting of members of France's new Cabinet and the Prime Minister, at the Hotel Matignon in Paris, on Monday. AFP

Newly-appointed French Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau arrives for a meeting of members of France's new Cabinet and the Prime Minister, at the Hotel Matignon in Paris, on Monday. AFP

Newly-appointed French Delegate Minister for Family and Childhood Agnes Canayer (L) and newly-appointed French Secretary of State for Consumerism Laurence Garnier arrive for a meeting of members of France's new Cabinet and the prime minister, at the Hotel Matignon in Paris, on Monday. AFP

Newly-appointed French Delegate Minister for Family and Childhood Agnes Canayer (L) and newly-appointed French Secretary of State for Consumerism Laurence Garnier arrive for a meeting of members of France's new Cabinet and the prime minister, at the Hotel Matignon in Paris, on Monday. AFP

France's new Prime Minister Michel Barnier, meeting his cabinet ministers together for the first time on Monday, told them to focus on action rather than stunts as he sought to change voters' perceptions that previous governments had been too arrogant.

The cabinet was appointed at the weekend after President Emmanuel Macron and Barnier struggled to put together a team following a snap election in early July that delivered a hung parliament.

"Focus on action rather than talk," his office quoted Barnier as telling the ministers ahead of a cabinet meeting in the afternoon. "No theatrics."

Barnier said they must show respect for all their compatriots and political parties, listen to everyone and be humble.

Opinion polls and elections have for years shown that voters are unhappy with Macron's top-down style of power.

While an alliance of left-wing parties topped the July election and the far-right National Rally (RN) was the single party with the most votes, Macron's centrists eventually struck a deal with the center right and conservatives to form a government.

The ministers in Barnier's new cabinet, including the finance and budget ministers, are mostly little known to the French public and many have little political clout.

One exception is new Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, 63, a veteran from The Republicans (LR) conservative party, and a driving force behind the party's rightward shift.

"The French people want more order - order in the streets, order at the borders," Retailleau said as he took office.

He said he would be hard on those who attack or disrespect politicians, and would also take a tough stance on antisemitism.

How stable the new government will be, and whether it will manage to get reforms adopted by parliament, remains to be seen.

The RN is in a kingmaker position after it gave tacit support to Barnier's premiership but reserved the right to back out if its concerns over immigration, security and other issues were not met.

Retailleau has long called for much stricter policies on immigration but on Monday he did not spell out what his policies on that front would be.

"We will be the ones deciding whether this government has a future or not," RN lawmaker Jean-Philippe Tanguy told France Inter radio, adding that they would wait to see what Barnier will announce in his speech scheduled for October 1.

Barnier on Sunday opened the door to raising taxes on France's wealthiest individuals and some big corporations to help close a gaping hole in the public finances, but said he would protect the lower and middle classes.

Despite the entry of 10 politicians from the Republicans in cabinet, Macron kept a number of outgoing ministers in key posts. Only one left-wing politician joined the cabinet, Didier Migaud as justice minister.



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