Q: Prime Minister warns new government against causing uproar

France’s new conservative government met for its first informal meeting today with Prime Minister Michel Barnier. According to his office in Paris, he urged members of the new government to be “immaculate and humble.” They should “not make a fuss” and “act first and then communicate.”

The new Minister of Economy and Finance, Antoine Armand, officially took over from his predecessor Bruno Le Maire the night before. After seven years in government, he wants to withdraw from politics for now. The first cabinet meeting with President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled for the afternoon at the Elysee Palace.

The right-wing populist National Rally party has said the government's survival depends on it temporarily abandoning its support for a no-confidence vote. “We will push for results on security, immigration and purchasing power,” National Front vice-president Sébastien Chenu told BFM radio.

Plans to impose higher taxes on the rich

Barnier had already announced in a televised address the night before that he wanted to be “tougher than before” when it came to migration policy. He added that he found it “very interesting” that Germany had decided to implement border controls, “and that under a socialist (sic!) Chancellor”, referring to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD).

Barnier also announced tax increases on wealthy individuals and large corporations: “I will not continue to increase taxes on all French people, not the smallest people, not the working class, not the middle class. But I cannot exclude the rich from the national effort to improve the situation,” Barnier told France 2 television yesterday.