As he returned to the Assemblée Nationale for the first time in 15 yeas, Michel Barnier was unlikely to recognize the chamber. In 2009, as French minister for agriculture and fisheries, he could count on the unwavering support of a large right-wing majority of 332 seats. The landscape was vastly different on Tuesday, October 1. Coming to present his "roadmap for the next two and a half years," 26 days after his appointment, the prime minister was faced with, in his own words, "an Assemblée Nationale divided as never before since 1958, in which no political party has an absolute majority on its own, nor with its allies."

With a pink ribbon on his lapel (symbolizing the fight against breast cancer), and unperturbed by the shouting from the benches of the radical left La France Insoumise party (he had been advised not to react), the new prime minister delivered a monotone policy speech lasting one hour and 23 minutes, oscillating between a break from and continuity with the policies pursued over the past seven years by President Emmanuel Macron.

First and foremost, a clean break in terms of method. Referring to former prime ministers Pierre Mendès France (1954-1955, center-left) and Michel Rocard (1988-1991, Socialist), Barnier aims to make "dialogue and the culture of compromise a principle of government." With Parliament, political forces, local authorities, labor partners and the French overseas territories, "we need to listen, respect and engage in dialogue," he insisted. It was an implicit criticism of Macron's style of governing in recent years, often considered disconnected and condescending.

Barnier, who comes from a political party – the right-wing Les Républicains (LR) – not very favorable to proportional representation, said he is "ready to open a discussion without ideology" on this voting system for the election of MPs. He announced the withdrawal of the draft constitutional law on unfreezing the electorate in the French overseas territory of New Caledonia, which "triggered a crisis of exceptional gravity" in the spring. He also promised to "resume dialogue" with Parliament, in early 2025, on the bill on euthanasia and palliative care. And finally, he proposes to organize a regular national day of consultation with the general public.

The former Gaullist activist also advocates a change of method on the international stage, as "influence cannot be dictated," but "must be built patiently, by defending our interests without arrogance and by paying attention to all our partners."

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