Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets across France, responding to a call from a far-left party leader who criticized as a power grab the president’s appointment of a new prime minister, Michel Barnier.

France's new prime minister, Michel Barnier, plans to toughen up the country's migration policy. Support for his policy will be secured by the far-right National Rally.

Opponents say selection of Michel Barnier, a member of the conservative party, ignored the results of recent snap elections.

The French president named Michel Barnier, the European Union’s former Brexit negotiator, nearly two months after elections that kept the far right from power but resulted in political deadlock.

Thousands of people took to the streets across France on Saturday to protest President Emmanuel Macron's decision to appoint centre-right Michel Barnier as prime minister with left-wing parties accusing him of stealing legislative elections.

The end of the Olympics also closed out the feel-good limbo that had frozen French politics. Now President Emmanuel Macron and his newly chosen prime minister will have to figure out how to govern a France that looks on the verge of ungovernability.

One of the first tasks of the newly appointed French Prime Minister and former Brexit negotiator is to convince Brussels that France is reducing its massive debt before Paris faces penalties. He also needs to quickly pass next year’s budget,