Interview with Michel Barnier: IVG, PMA, immigration, taxes, pensions… the Prime Minister’s answers on the France 2 set

Michel Barnier was the guest of the France 2 news this Sunday, September 22, 2024. The new Prime Minister spoke on subjects where he was highly anticipated: abortion, immigration, taxes, pensions and work with President Emmanuel Macron.

This Sunday, the new Prime Minister wanted to set the tone. He returned to the topics that have marked the news in recent weeks, and above all, he cleared up doubts raised by his government's announcement.

Clearing doubts

The “major laws” of “social or societal progress” such as those on voluntary termination of pregnancy (IVG), marriage for all or medically assisted procreation (AMP or PMA) will be “fully preserved”, assured Prime Minister Michel Barnier on Sunday evening on France 2.

“These laws will be fully preserved” and “I will be a bulwark so that we preserve all of these acquired rights” in terms“of freedoms, of social progress. There is no ambiguity", he declared the day after the presentation of his government, which included several conservative ministers.

His successor Gabriel Attal had called on him a little earlier to dispel doubts on these subjects "clearly in his general policy statement", scheduled for October 1.

Towards the budget vote

Concerning France's deficit, the Prime Minister promised not to " further increase taxes on all French people”, explaining that he wanted to protect from increases “the poorest people, working people, the middle classes”.

But, “the richest must take part in the solidarity effort”, he warned, refusing to comment on a possible reestablishment of the ISF, requested by the left.

Concerning the highly controversial pension reform, which came into force a year ago and whose abolition is demanded by the left and the National Rally, Gabriel Attal's successor indicated that he wanted to “take the time to improve it”.

“We have a law that provides a financial framework and I think that this financial framework must be preserved”, he declared, adding however that he would “trust the social partners to improve this law, to reform”.

Cause nationale

Michel Barnier also announced that he wanted to make the“mental health” the “great national cause” of the year 2025, while psychiatry is undergoing a serious and persistent crisis in France.

In the wake of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, he also assured that he wanted to make sport "a great decentralized national ambition, everywhere".

Cohesion and compromise

The Prime Minister, who reiterated that he would not be a candidate for the presidency in 2027, assured that "in the interest of the country", "there will be no controversy" with Emmanuel Macron, calling for "a spirit of positive, dynamic compromise with the Head of State".

In mid-September, Michel Barnier had estimated that there were "no areas reserved" for the President of the Republic, preferring to talk about "areas shared”.

The Prime Minister also called for “cohesion” and “fraternity” within his government, promising “compromises”. “We will talk in a climate of greater cohesion, greater fraternity”, he added, to “allow all initiatives, all energies to express themselves”.