Vincent McAviney: Europe Correspondent on Michel Barnier being named as the new French Prime Minister

France has a new Prime Minister, ending the country's months long political limbo.  

President Emmanuel Macron has named conservative Michel Barnier as the new Prime Minister. 

It comes two months after a snap election ended with a political stalemate. 

Europe Correspondent Vincent McAviney told Ryan Bridge that Barnier was the EU's former chief Brexit negotiator. 

He says they'll see whether it gets France going again after the truce they've had through the Olympics. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Vinton Mecavini are UK and Europe correspondence with US. Vincent,
good morning, nice to be with you. The indecent assault
chargers in the UK against Harvey Weinstein discontinued.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Why yeah, that's right. Well, the CPS says they've made
the decision because there is no longer a realistic prospect
of conviction now. Weinstein was charged in twenty twenty two
with two counts of indecent assault against a woman in
London for alleged defenses in nineteen ninety six. The alleged
woman victim is now in her fifties, but the head

(00:33):
of the Special Crime and counter Terrorism Division at the
CPS said that they have continuously reviewed this case and
explained their decision to all parties. They would still encourage
any potential victims to come forward, but they're saying now
that they will not continue with this. Weinstein was of
course jailed in twenty twenty in New York for twenty

(00:54):
three years for rape and sexual assault of former assistant
and an actress as well many women coming out to
testify against him in addition to those alleging various things.
But he is of course in a protracted legal battle
in the US and now trying to overturn those convictions.
So that may have played a part in what's here
in the UK.

Speaker 1 (01:14):
And in France, Macron has pict as Prime Minister.

Speaker 2 (01:18):
Yes, that's right. After a couple of months of turmoil
in France. Off that snap election, Michelle Barnier, a veteran
French Conservative politician, will take over. Now. That is a
name that people might remember from Brexit. He was the
EU's former Brexit negotiator. He was incredibly tough and formidable
as the UK Brexit side saw. He's hoping to put

(01:39):
an end of the two months of paralysis and deadlock
in France. The right, the Marine Le Penn, says that
she will wait to see whether or not he can
do that, what his platform will be. The left though,
aren't happy with his selection, but we'll see whether or
not it will get France going again after this sort
of stalemate they've been in and this sort of true

(02:00):
that they've had through the Olympics and the Paralympics. So
the Paralympics they've stepped to end of course in the
next week, so it'll be back to school in France
and we'll see whether or not they can get their
parliament back up and running. There are some rumors circulating
that perhaps President Macron might simply throw in the toll,
resign and potentially trigger a fresh presidential election a few

(02:20):
years early in order to try and wrong foot Marine
La Penn and the far right in the hope that
they might not be prepared yet for that race.

Speaker 1 (02:28):
Wow, Okay, that would be a big move, wouldn't it.
It's either you lit the fire far right in and
you include them somehow, or they're probably eventually going to
take over, aren't they, whether it's now or whether it's
in two years. That's Vincent Mecha. Anyow. You can europe Correspondent.

Speaker 2 (02:45):
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