Michel Barnier's journey from Mr Brexit to French PM

The new leader of France has many years of experience in politics, but Michel Barnier is most recognized, even in his home country of France, for his role as the main negotiator for the European Union during the Brexit discussions with the UK government.

Born in the hilly Savoie area in the southeast of France in 1951, Mr. Barnier - a passionate skier and walker - has been a devoted, patriotic conservative in the style of French leader Charles de Gaulle since he was a young person.

As a teenager, he became a member of the conservative Union for the Defence of the Republic (UDR) party. He has remained with the UDR's successor, the Republicans (LR), ever since.

Mr. Barnier did not graduate from the prestigious French school École Nationale d’Administration, which is attended by many of the nation's top leaders. Instead, he made history by becoming the youngest Member of Parliament ever elected at the age of 27.

He tied the knot with Isabelle Altmayer, who works as a lawyer, in 1982. The pair has three adult children and she was present in the prime minister's official residence at Hôtel Matignon when he assumed office.

In 1992, Mr. Barnier was very proud to have successfully brought the Winter Olympics to Savoie. He mentioned that this experience taught him valuable lessons about managing large scale projects with a diverse group of people, all while staying focused on the end goal.

He started his political career the next year and held important positions in different French governments for many years. In 2010, he was appointed as the European Union's internal market commissioner, which is a highly sought-after role within the European Commission.

However, Mr. Barnier set his sights even higher. In 2014, he made a failed try to become president of the European Commission, ultimately being defeated by Jean-Claude Juncker.

In July 2016, one month after the UK decided to exit the EU, Mr. Juncker selected Mr. Barnier to handle the negotiations for the Brexit deal, stating that he wanted a seasoned politician for the challenging task.

The nomination of Mr. Barnier came as a shock to some of his fellow French citizens, who had never respected him very much. Just a few years before, a journalist from a French newspaper had famously described Mr. Barnier, an experienced politician, as nothing more than a "pleasant, white-toothed skier, lacking in intellectual depth".

Over in the EU, Mr. Barnier was famous for his hard work and careful planning. Importantly, he was also known for keeping calm, which was very important in the chaotic time after the Brexit vote.

During the difficult Brexit negotiations, Mr. Barnier had to collaborate with different British negotiators and prime ministers. Despite the challenges, he stayed composed and referred to the process as a "expensive and difficult separation."

While he was mostly seen in meetings in Brussels and London, a lot of the UK's separation from the EU was actually carried out by Mr. Barnier's team. In the background, his main job was to travel throughout Europe and work on getting all 27 member states to agree, so that the EU presented a unified stance.

As he continued his journey, he started to appear frequently on television in various countries, always looking stylish and confident. He was often seen standing next to a European Union flag, with a mysterious and unreadable expression on his face.

He spoke with a detached tone as he effortlessly transitioned from English to French, informing on 24 December 2020 that the EU and UK had successfully finalized a trade agreement after Brexit.

Mr. Barnier, who enjoys using hiking comparisons, once compared Brexit to reaching the summit of a mountain. After successfully reaching that peak, he started climbing towards the next one.

During the summer of 2021, he announced his candidacy to be the conservative representative in the upcoming 2022 French presidential election. He did not hold back in criticizing President Emmanuel Macron, accusing him of governing France in a "haughty" way.

Outside of Brussels, Mr. Barnier started to change his reputation as a skilled EU bureaucrat.

He urged for strict immigration rules to be put in place in France and all over the EU, stating that France should have the power to disregard certain judgments made by the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights. This decision was seen as a populist act by some onlookers, leaving them surprised.

Some people believed that Mr. Barnier was simply taking note of the Brexit aftermath and paying attention to the opinions of the public.

However, his attempt to become the Republican presidential nominee was not successful, and over the last three years Mr. Barnier has been relatively quiet as France's political scene has become more divided.

People had been talking about him possibly becoming the prime minister after the snap election in July 2024, which didn't produce a clear winner in France. However, it wasn't until two months later that President Macron officially appointed him as PM.

Even though Mr. Barnier is mostly recognized as Monsieur Brexit, President Macron probably picked him because they both come from the pro-European elite and have similar right-wing views on the economy.

Because of his Republican affiliation, he may clash with liberal parties, but this could also mean that centrist, right-leaning, and populist groups could potentially support him in passing his first test as prime minister - a probable vote of confidence.

David Davis, the former UK Brexit Secretary who had a close working relationship with Mr. Barnier for many years, described him as a dependable Frenchman with a strong understanding of the authentic essence of France.

During his initial speech as the leader of the country, Mr. Barnier recognized the difficulties that lie ahead and promised to be honest, even if the truth may be difficult to accept.

He mentioned the importance of respect, understanding, and coming together in unity, acknowledging the tense political environment he currently leads.

I am starting this new chapter with a lot of humbleness and an open mind.