Barnier Government I: What Changes for Europe?

"Michel Barnier has clearly expressed his desire to influence European policies, and more broadly foreign policy, which augurs a new dynamic in Brussels, in good agreement with President Macron. This is good news, given the importance of the coming months in shaping the European agenda over the next five years," says Victor Warhem, Representative in France of the Centre for European Policy and author of the note.

In addition to the recent appointment of Stéphane Séjourné to the Vice-Presidency in charge of industrial strategy, the return of Agnès Pannier-Runacher to the Energy portfolio underlines that "France will do its utmost to defend the financing of future investments in nuclear energy by Europe", adds Victor Warhem. Stéphane Séjourné will also co-supervise innovation policies, at the heart of European industrial policy, with a possible return of the very French idea of a European agency for disruptive innovation.

Michel Barnier and Emmanuel Macron will also be working to secure new European funding, probably in the form of Eurobonds, to finance the new budget to be negotiated from next year. Finally, Benjamin Haddad and Sébastien Lecornu will be highlighting the desire to strengthen the European Union's defence.