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French ex-commissioner named Brexit negotiator
By EUobserver
Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has appointed Michel Barnier as the EU's chief negotiator to prepare the UK's exit. Frenchman Barnier was EU commissioner for internal market from 2010 to 2014. He was Juncker's opponent in 2014 when trying to become their party's candidate for commission chief. "He has an extensive network of contacts in the capitals of all EU member states and in the European Parliament," said Juncker.