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At the beginning of the week Prime Minister Michel Barnier saying he respected Marine Le Pen and the 11 million French who voted for the National Rally (RN). On Tuesday Mr. Barnier called Le Pen after his economy minister Antoine Armand made remarks... An allegation by a female member of the National Assembly leading to consequences for Senator Joel Guerriau... By late this week even President Emmanuel Macron was commenting on a murder case that shocked France and highlighted tensions over immigration... Also, on Friday Prime Minister Michel Barnier calling together the new cabinet and dividing them into five working...

As formation of a new cabinet played out in France during the week there were said to be tensions between Prime Minister Michel Barnier and President Emmanuel Macron and his faction... 20 of the 39 ministers names are from the "Macron faction". The leader of Les Republicains in the Senate Bruno Retailleau named Interior Minister. In the Senate the LR party of Mr. Barnier is the largest faction... On Thursday World Jewish Congress President Ron Lauder meeting President Macron at the Elysee Palace. Lauder describing Macron as "an unwavering ally to the Jewish people... In Rennes on Friday Police Commissioner...

In the past any period under France's Fifth Republic constitution of 1958 where the National Assembly was controlled by a political party different from the President was a period described as "cohabitation". But this week President Emmanuel Macron launching a new chapter of Fifth Republic history by selecting a Prime Minister not formally leading any political faction but with a track record of government service as part of the Liberal Capitalist "Right". Michel Barnier holding posts... In a Friday night appearance on TF1 television new Prime Minister Michel Barnier saying "I will respect all political forces"... Many thousands protesting some...

The construction of the Chinese laboratory at the centre of mounting suspicion over the source of the Covid-19 pandemic was signed off by the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier – despite warnings by French intelligence services. Mr Barnier – currently embroiled in acrimonious negotiations with the UK over a post-Brexit trade deal – was the French foreign minister when he gave the go-ahead for work to start on the Wuhan Institute of Virology in 2004, under a joint deal with the Chinese. The move came despite strong opposition from French diplomatic and security advisers, who argued that the Chinese...

Boris Johnson appears to be on the brink of reaching a Brexit deal after making major concessions to EU demands over the Irish border. A draft text of the agreement could now be published on Wednesday if Downing Street gives the final green light, according to senior EU and British sources. It is understood that the negotiating teams have agreed in principle that there will be a customs border down the Irish Sea. A similar arrangement was rejected by Theresa May as a deal that no British prime minister could accept. Johnson will still have to win over parliament –...

Michel Barnier has set Boris Johnson a midnight deadline to concede to EU demands and agree to a customs border in the Irish Sea or be left with nothing to take to the Commons.

The United Kingdom will agree to follow all European Union rules after Brexit and keep the nation’s borders open for the duration of the transition period to 2022, with further bad news for fisheries and communities in Northern Ireland as a new agreement was reached in Brussels Monday. The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier made the announcement in a joint press conference with Britain’s David Davis in Brussels where they presented a “legal text which constitutes a decisive step” towards a final agreement, revealing the enormous extent to which Theresa May’s government has sold out the Brexit-voting British...

Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage, one of the most influential Brexit spokesmen, had a meeting with EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier yesterday. Although Barnier didn't want to meet with Farage initially, he eventually relented to the British politician's requests. Their meeting was scheduled, and the two men spoke about the negotiations between Britain and the EU about the former leaving the union. Farage was adamant about speaking personally with Barnier because he wanted "to make sure Barnier heard some pro-Brexit views that I suspect the Conservative government has not yet explained to him." It became clear early on in the...

The European Union’s financial services chief warned of tit-for-tat action if the United States pushes ahead with plans to impose extra capital requirements on foreign banks. In December, Federal Reserve Board Governor Daniel Tarullo said foreign banks should be required to hold as much capital as their U.S. counterparts, regardless of how their overseas parent companies are funded. The EU fears this will fragment global capital markets and its financial services commissioner Michel Barnier said big European banks were as well-capitalized as American banks. “I don’t want to be forced to do the same as the Americans,” Barnier told reporters...

The EU’s internal market commissioner Michel Barnier, a convinced European and known federalist, has come out in favor of limits being imposed on the European project, telling EurActiv.fr in an exclusive interview that he understood concerns expressed by the far-right and other euroskeptics. But he said Europe should also dare to venture into new areas such as defense and industrial policy. … “What less can we do here in Brussels? Subsidiarity is very important. Many citizens are concerned about a European project that has no limits or boundaries. Some should probably be established. But we are not alone,” Barnier warned...

French Foreign Minister to visit Israel 6 Feb 2005French FM Michel Barnier will visit Israel to learn at first hand about developments in the peace process. (Communicated by the Foreign Ministry Spokesman) The Foreign Minister of France, Michel Barnier, will arrive in Israel for a visit on Sunday, February 6, as a guest of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom. Aside from meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, Michel Barnier will meet with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Vice Premier Shimon Peres. The visit is intended to enable Foreign Minister Barnier to learn at...

PARIS - Sen. John Kerry [related, bio] will meet Friday with French President Jacques Chirac, U.S. and French officials said. The Massachusetts Democrat who lost the November election to incumbent President Bush [related, bio] has relatives in France and speaks French. Kerry's stop in Paris was part of a trip to Europe and the Middle East, the U.S. Embassy in Paris said Thursday. Kerry was also to meet with French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier. The senator's office in Washington did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

New French Foreign Minister Eyes Revived U.S. Ties Thu Apr 1, 2004 09:37 AM ET By Kerstin Gehmlich PARIS (Reuters) - Michel Barnier's toughest task in his new role as French foreign minister is to patch up ties with Washington -- and his moderate manner is seen going down better than that of flamboyant predecessor Dominique de Villepin. Barnier, 53, formerly a European Union commissioner, took on his new job in a French cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday after the conservative government's rout in regional polls. One French newspaper dubbed him a "plodding European, with no style," but analysts said those...