France has a new government

Two weeks after the nomination of Michel Barnier as Prime Minister, the composition of his government was announced on 21 September 2024. The thirty-nine-strong government team with a clear conservative bent, consisting of numerous ministers from Macron's Renaissance party and Les Républicains, includes only a few political heavyweights and now faces major challenges. On the one hand, it is important to find common positions on the political issues of the budget, education, health and migration in the unity of purpose imposed by the new parliamentary elections. Prime Minister Michel Barnier will certainly need a great deal of diplomatic skill to find common ground on socio-political issues in particular. On the other hand, the other two blocs in the National Assembly, the New Popular Front and the right-wing populist Rassemblement National, are warming up for a tough opposition. As a minority government, the conservative Républicains and the Macron camp must also win votes from the opposition in order to push through legislative projects. The government has the support of 212 MPs and therefore a relative majority, but this is a far cry from the absolute majority of 289 MPs. While the government is already being denied legitimacy by numerous voices on the basis of the latest election results [1], there is a threat of a vote of no confidence in the National Assembly, which could once again bring the country to a political impasse.