Michel Barnier, the recently appointed French prime minister, held a productive meeting with President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the formation of a new government. Just a day after assuming office, Barnier expressed his satisfaction with the discussions, describing them as "full of energy." The prime minister engaged in talks with the leaders of the right-wing Republicans and the president's centrist Ensemble group, setting the stage for potentially crucial collaborations.

The decision to appoint Barnier comes after parliamentary elections left France in a state of political deadlock. With three powerful blocs but no clear majority in the National Assembly, President Macron opted for Barnier's leadership skills and experience to navigate this challenging situation. However, Barnier's position may be contingent on securing the support of the far-right National Rally, although they have categorically stated that they will not be joining his government.

Meanwhile, the left-wing parties have announced plans for nationwide protests on Saturday, expressing their dissatisfaction with the selection of Barnier over their candidate, Lucie Castets. Castets was rejected by Macron as she was deemed unlikely to survive a vote of confidence in the National Assembly. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a seasoned politician from the radical France Unbowed party, has called for large-scale marches across France, urging citizens to join the "most powerful mobilisation possible." Several unions and youth groups have also committed to participating in the demonstrations.

Castets, who feels betrayed along with millions of French voters, criticized Macron for effectively aligning himself with the far right instead of governing according to left-wing principles. The prime minister's meeting with President Macron was followed by a television interview on private channel TF1. Reports suggest that the discussion covered a wide range of topics, including government formation and the preparation of the 2025 budget, requested by parliament before October 1st.

Barnier, who is 73 years old and hails from the Republicans party, showed determination to address the concerns prevailing in various cities, suburbs, and rural areas of France. Gabriel Attal, the former prime minister and leader of the centrist bloc, expressed willingness for Ensemble to join a broad front with the republican right and republican left, without intending to cause obstruction or offer unconditional support.

The decision on whether the Republicans will support Barnier's government rests in the hands of party leader Laurent Wauquiez, who stated that no decision has been made thus far. Some voices from the left-wing camp acknowledged their own responsibility for ending up with Barnier as the prime minister. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo highlighted that Macron had initially considered a former Socialist prime minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, for the position, but his own party rejected the offer. Another socialist mayor, Karim Bouamrane, criticized the intransigence displayed by other factions within the left alliance.

While leaders of the far-right National Rally, Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, affirmed that they would not join Barnier's government, they will wait to assess the policies he presents in parliament before deciding on a vote of confidence. The left-wing parties have threatened a vote of confidence but lack the support of the far right to topple Barnier. Marine Le Pen acknowledged that Barnier has not openly cast out the National Rally, indicating that they could allow him to continue in office.

With the absence of support from the National Rally, Barnier will not be able to gather the necessary 289 votes in the 577-seat Assembly solely relying on the backing of the centrists and Republicans. President Macron's appointment of the former Brexit negotiator, who brings a wealth of European Union experience, comes almost two months after the snap elections, aiming to address the political stalemate and advance France's governance.