Barnier Government: New Popular Front, National Rally, unions… the main political reactions

The Elysée Palace unveiled the composition of the new government on Saturday, September 21, a formation of 34 ministers and five secretaries of state where the presidential camp has the advantage over the Republican Right, which nevertheless secures the top portfolios.

Among the 17 full ministers, seven are from the presidential party Ensemble pour la République (EPR), three from the Republicans (LR), two from the MoDem, one from Edouard Philippe's party Horizons and another from the centrist group LIOT. The only “take” on the left is that of the miscellaneous left Didier Migaud, appointed to Justice. Here are the main political reactions in France.

Jordan Bardella (RN)

“This 'new' government marks the return of Macronism through a back door. What the French have democratically sanctioned, twice, cannot come back through lamentable games of apparatus and political calculations. It is therefore a government that has no future".

Eric Ciotti (Union des droites)

“The Barnier government is the victory of Macronism, which is absorbing new supporters from the Republicans and the left to pursue the same policy, the mother of the same national failure. Disavowed three times by the French at the polls, the “at the same time” immobile and powerless is gaining time and offering itself a facade of survival without political and parliamentary leverage”.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon (LFI)

“The casting of the new Macronist disaster movie is known. The government of the losers of the legislative elections is in the hands of the worrying Minister of the Interior, president of the dominant group in the Senate where the content of the texts supported by LR will now be decided. This combination has neither legitimacy nor future. It will be necessary to get rid of it as soon as possible".

Olivier Faure (PS) 

"A reactionary government in the form of a middle finger to democracy. RV for the censorship debate”.

Marine Tondelier (EELV)

“A government against nature and against nature…. Who could have predicted ?”

Lucie Castets (NFP)

“We were promised a government of concord, we have a government of the hard right. It is democracy that is humiliated tonight with the end of this paper suspense.”

Fabien Roussel (PCF)

“This is not a new government. It is a reshuffle. It is not cohabitation. It is collaboration. Quickly, let's turn the page".

Arnaud Rousseau (FNSEA)

"I would like to congratulate Annie Genevard on her appointment. She knows how high expectations are. As soon as she takes office, she will have to mark her arrival with a strong signal to restore hope to the agricultural world and regain the confidence lost after the disillusionment of having seen a large part of the measures promised by the previous government disappear." 

Teacher Union SNES-FSU

"After several reversals, it is Anne Genetet – an expert in the management of domestic staff – who wins the chefoumi to be Minister of Education. A distressing spectacle in view of the crisis that the School is going through. A profound change of policy and method is needed!”