Michel Barnier, France’s new rightwing prime minister, has vowed to address the nation’s feelings of anger, abandonment and injustice, promising a “new era” and a break with the past. Barnier, the EU’s former Brexit negotiator, took office hours after Emmanuel Macron appointed him to form “a unifying government in the service of the country” – an attempt to put an end to two months of political paralysis after a snap election

 Rightwing prime minister promises ‘new era’, saying priorities will be education, security and controlling immigration

Barnier, who at 73 is the oldest premier in the history of modern France, said his first task was to “respond as best we can to the challenges, the anger, the feeling of abandonment and injustice that is too prevalent in our cities, on our estates and in the countryside”.

The government’s priority would be education, as well as security and controlling immigration, he said.

“What do we expect from a prime minister?” Barnier asked. “That they tell the truth, even if it’s difficult – the truth about debt, and the truth about environmental debt, which weighs heavy on the shoulders of our children.”

He said he would approach the role with “humility and determination” and promised “more action than words”.

Macron shocked France by calling a snap parliamentary election in June that resulted in a hung parliament and a deeply divided political landscape.

Although Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally came top in the first round, tactical voting saw a leftwing coalition become the biggest political force in the final round. But the left fell well short of an absolute majority of 289 seats in the national assembly. Macron later ruled out asking the left to form a government after other parties said they would immediately vote it down.More..