Michel Barnier

Michel Barnier is a prominent French politician with a extensive and varied career in both French and European politics.

Early Life and Education

Michel Jean Barnier was born on January 9, 1951, in La Tronche, Isère, France. He graduated from the ESCP (European Business School in Paris) in 19723.

Political Career

Barnier has held numerous significant positions in French and European politics:

• French Government Roles: He has served as Minister of the Environment (1993-1995), Minister for European Affairs (1995-1997), Minister of Foreign Affairs (2004-2005), and Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries (2007-2009)13.
• European Commissioner: Barnier was European Commissioner for Regional Policy (1999-2004) and later for Internal Market and Services (2010-2014), also serving as Vice-President of the European Commission during the latter term13.
• Chief Negotiator for Brexit: From October 2016 to 2021, he was the EU's chief negotiator for the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union13.

Recent Roles

• Prime Minister of France: Barnier was appointed Prime Minister of France by President Emmanuel Macron on September 5, 2024, following the resignation of Gabriel Attal. His tenure was marked by significant challenges, including forming a new government and passing a budget. However, his government was brought down by a vote of no confidence on December 4, 2024, making his tenure the shortest under the Fifth Republic. He was succeeded by François Bayrou on December 13, 202412.

Political Positions

Barnier is described as a pro-European, Gaullist conservative. Key aspects of his political stance include:

• Immigration: He has advocated for stricter controls on extra-European immigration and proposed measures such as stopping non-European immigration for three to five years and limiting family reunification1.
• Justice and Security: He supports expanding prison capacity and introducing mandatory minimum sentences for certain crimes1.
• Economy: Barnier is aligned with neoliberal policies, including reducing taxes and business regulations. He proposed cutting production taxes and raising the retirement age during his presidential campaign1.
• European and International Affairs: Despite some media portrayals suggesting otherwise, Barnier is a strong supporter of the European Union and NATO, and he favors support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia1.

Other Activities

Barnier has been involved in various other roles, including being Vice-President of the European People's Party (2006-2015), a member of the French "Conseil d’Etat" (2005-2016), and the founding president of the "New Republic" club. He has also authored several books on European and economic issues3.