His immersion in political life began very early. The National Audiovisual Institute (INA), a public institution responsible for the archives of audiovisual productions, has re-released one of the first interviews of the new Prime Minister, Michel Barnier.
The excerpt dates from 1971. The former LR minister was then 20 years old and a student. He was questioned about his activities within the High Committee for Youth, Sports and Leisure, an interministerial body set up in 1970 of which he was a member.
The man who grew up in Savoie describes this department, of which he would be elected deputy seven years later, as “a very endearing region”. Michel Barnier is then questioned on the High Committee of Youth, which is responsible for giving opinions and carrying out studies and research work, according to the national archives.
“We know how to dialogue”
The aim was then to “create a body for consultation and participation, but above all a very open body” on “the population as it is, and therefore on the young people, who make up this population for several millions”, describes the young Michel Barnier.
“The young people in this high committee are among those who take a very active part, both in discussions, criticisms and proposals,” assures the man who was appointed Prime Minister this Thursday, September 5.
“We know how to dialogue, we know how to discuss with the less young. There is a form of very active and very frank collaboration between the different generations,” continues Michel Barnier, already in a very serious tone.
The beginning of a long career
1971 was just the beginning of a long political career. Michel Barnier sat in several right-wing governments in France in the 1990s and 2000s, with various portfolios (European Affairs, Environment, Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, etc.), was European Commissioner twice, in charge of Regional Policies and the Financial Framework (1999-2004), then in charge of the Internal Market and Services (2009-2014).
He was also a Member of Parliament, Senator and Member of the European Parliament and finally between 2016 and 2021 negotiator of the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU, Brexit.
He briefly reappeared in French political life in 2021 by running in the primary of his party, Les Républicains (LR), for the 2022 presidential election. His program included a “moratorium” on immigration, but he came third in the first round, with 23.9% of the vote. Aged 73, he is now the oldest Prime Minister of the Fifth Republic.
- BFMTV.com
