Michel Barnier, the man who led the EU’s charge against the UK in Brexit negotiations, has been appointed as prime minister of France.
The country’s president, Emmanuel Macron, named Barnier in the role early on Thursday afternoon – and has tasked him with forming a new government.
The move forms a push by Macron to put weeks of political deadlock to bed after his hastily-called snap election handed him a hung parliament.
Macron has been trying to manage a shaky coalition of French centrists and left-wingers since the election – which took place over two rounds between late June and early July this year.
More to follow…