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Barnier’s big comeback: Brussels big wigs celebrate ‘master EU negotiator’ in French PM hot seat

5 September, 2024 | Filed under: All News,more news,RECENT POSTS | Posted by:

Macron’s PM pick Michel Barnier’s erstwhile colleagues in Brussels are lining up to congratulate the political veteran on his return to the heart of European politics.

FILE - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, and Michel Barnier in Brussels, on Dec. 24, 2020.

French President Emmanuel Macron’s PM pick Michel Barnier’s erstwhile colleagues in Brussels are lining up to congratulate the political veteran on his return to the heart of European politics

The accolades have come from the very tip top of the European Union, starting with Ursula von der Leyen herself.

The European Commission president toasted the former EU Brexit negotiator’s recent French prime ministerial nomination, stating on social media platform X she wished Barnier “every success in his new mission”.

“I know that Michel Barnier has the interests of Europe and France at heart, as his long experience demonstrates,” she said.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola followed up with her own tip of the hat. In an X post, Metsola stated that Barnier has previously demonstrated “leadership, vision, and method” and that she was confident he would make the “best use of his experience and skills as the new French prime minister.”

Last on the high-profile roster is European Council President Charles Michel, writing on X that Europe has “benefitted greatly” from Barnier’s “sense of listening, respect and transparency in negotiations.”

Michel said he was looking forward to Barnier “once again” putting his qualities “at the service of France”.

Former commissioners also came round to congratulate the 73-year-old political veteran from the conservative Republicans party on his recent appointment.

French President Emmanuel Macron, left, shakes hands with European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Friday, Jan. 31, 2020.
French President Emmanuel Macron, left, shakes hands with European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel………-Barnier at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Friday, Jan. 31, 2020.AP

Why a skilful negotiator was tapped for the role

“I’m very happy about the nomination of Michel Barnier,” former European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker told Euronews.

“I appointed him as chief negotiator for Brexit, and during this time I felt his talent to listen and to speak in a comprehensive way to those listening to him. He was very smart, also very well prepared,” he added.

Barnier showed “real talent” as a negotiator during this tumultuous period, Juncker recalled, in which he was speaking to his British counterparts — prime ministers, parliamentarians and Commission officials — several times a week.

“He had a positive idea of the UK and wanted only to get the best out of the negotiations, said the Luxembourgish politician who headed the European Commission from 2014 to 2019.

Previous European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker at EU headquarters in Brussels, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019. Previous European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker
at EU headquarters in Brussels, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019. AP

Macron appointed former EU Commissioner Barnier — who previously held the portfolios for Internal Market and Regional Policy — saying he wanted him to create “a unifying government in the service of the country,” according to a statement by the Elysee Palace.

However, Macron’s first choices were former Socialist PM Bernard Cazeneuve and the centre-right President of the northern French region, Xavier Bertrand, with the right-wing mayor of Cannes, David Lisnard, also in the mix.

But none of these names were seen as likely to pass parliament amid France’s ever-widening gulf of political ideology.

However, according to those who worked closely with him during those intense and rancorous days of Brexit, Barnier has the skills to at least try to bridge the divide.

Juncker said that as French prime minister, Barnier will “try to bring people together” from opposing sides of the political spectrum.

“He’s used to negotiating with coalition governments across Europe and he is not from the far right; he’s from the moderate centre-right,” he said.

Asked whether Barnier could manage to temper the deeply entrenched divisions facing France, he said: “Let’s not exaggerate the influence he can have on the situation in France — but he is without a doubt one of the best choices at this time.”

‘Existential moment for the EU’

Meanwhile, Georg Riekeles, Barnier’s diplomatic adviser during Brexit, said the politician’s ability to “steady the ship” after the shock of Brexit in 2016 was his “stand-out achievement”.

‘We don’t think about it now, but one was asking oneself in 2016 whether Brexit was the start of a wider European push for referendums — you had political leaders saying: ‘This is our moment’,” Rikeles said.

“It was seen as an existential moment for the EU.”

Riekeles, now associate director at the European Policy Centre, said Barnier’s most well-managed achievements from this era were wrangling the 27 member states and ensuring they “stick together”.

Despite concerns in Brussels that Brexit could trigger the downfall of the EU, Riekeles said, the unity that emerged was ” far from a foregone conclusion in 2016″.

“The question at the time was whether the EU could stay united with one negotiator, or whether big or small member states would go it alone for trying to get the best deal out of it,” he said.

“He made the point there’s no point in being in a union otherwise.”

New French prime minister Michel Barnier delivers a speech during the handover ceremony, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024 in Paris. New French prime minister Michel Barnier delivers a speech during
the handover ceremony, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024 in Paris. AP

From the end of the road to back on top

Despite falling flat in an attempt to secure his conservative party’s nomination for president, it looked like Barnier had reached the end of his career in politics.

He is often described as having little or no real profile in France despite being minister for foreign affairs, agriculture, environment and European affairs.

Amid the many plaudits from Brussels, notable by its absence is any comment on Barnier’s dramatic shift to the populist right during his ill-fated bid for the French presidency.

He called for a moratorium on immigration, tightening family reunification criteria, and elevating French law above European or international law.

Barnier also lamented the prospect of France once again having “legal sovereignty in order to no longer be subject to the judgments” of the Court of Justice of the European Union.

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By Shona Murray, Angela Skujins

Source:euronews.com