Outgoing ministers warn of far-right ideas infiltrating new Barnier government

Outgoing agriculture minister Marc Fesneau and the outgoing delegate-minister for European affairs Jean-Noël Barrot have both expressed their concern over right-wing ideas infiltrating the new government that is currently being put together by newly appointed Prime Minister Michel Barnier.

The two, both members of the centrist MoDem party, an ally of Macron’s Ensemble party (Renew Europe),  expressed their concerns in interviews published on Sunday, with Fesneau’s published in La Tribune Dimanche and Barrot’s in Le Journal du Dimanche

"At the National Assembly, even with the votes from the Rassemblement National, there is no majority to pass the removal of [the State Medical Assistance, providing healthcare for migrants, Editor’s Note], as requested by [Barnier’s party] Les Républicans," stated Fesneau to La Tribune Dimanche.

There is, hence, no point whatsoever for the next government to adopt a tougher stance on migration, said Fesneau, calling it to rather focus on implementing new laws, including 2024’s French immigration law and EU’s Asylum and Migration pact.

“When one only has 47 MPs, one cannot impose its policy,” said Fesneau, referring to the number of MPs of right-wing Les Républicains.

Echoing his words in Le Journal du Dimanche, Barrot said that “Neither Les Républicains, nor its project won the elections [therefore] the influence of this political current in the new government should not exceed that of its group in the National Assembly.”

Barnier, who has to cosy up to Le Pen’s far-right Rassemblement National to ensure his new government survives a possible no-confidence vote, has repeatedly said he would refuse to engage with the far-right but has so far embraced hard-right ideas, including a ‘moratorium’ on immigration.

In their respective interviews, the two highlighted the importance of forming the broadest coalition possible to ensure Barnier’s government stability and to focus on consensus-building policies.

Commenting on Germany’s decision to reintroduce border checks at all national borders, with speculation that the Barnier government could follow a similar path, Fesneau called on the new government to consider the possible long-term consequences.

Nevertheless, both ministers expressed their support for Barnier, with Barrot praising his clear position on the Rassemblement National, against “which he has always fought.”

Nevertheless, both ministers expressed their support for Barnier, with Barrot praising his clear position on the Rassemblement National, "against which he has always fought".

Barnier's government priorities include meeting the National Assembly's 1 October deadline for proposing France's budget for 2025 - a key issue as France's public deficit has risen to 5.6% of the country’s GDP in 2024, thus exceeding the EU's 3% target and prompting the European Commission to open an excessive deficit procedure against France on 26 July.

(Théophane Hartmann | Euractiv.fr)