French President Emmanuel Macron and his Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne have reshuffled the cabinet to prepare for a difficult second term in office in which his minority government will struggle to pass economic reform laws.
Among the new arrivals is Laurence Boon, former chief economist of the OECD, who becomes minister for Europe. She replaces Macron confidante Clément Bon, who takes over the transport portfolio.
Macron defeated far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the last round of presidential elections in April, but lost his majority in the National Assembly in legislative elections in June. The far right and the far left made significant gains and became the largest opposition blocs in the chamber.
Bourne, the new prime minister, has been unable to convince moderate opposition parties – such as the conservative Les Républicains on the right and the Socialists and Greens on the left – to join a coalition and will have to seek ad hoc arrangements to try to pass legislation.
She could face a vote of confidence in parliament this week when she presents the new government’s programme.
Macron told ministers at a cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace on Monday afternoon that it was clear no opposition political party was ready to strike a coalition deal with the government.
“You must above all endure, hold on to a situation of war that has not been sufficiently understood in the French public debate,” he told them in a televised clip of a speech released by his office, alluding to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its inflationary impact in the EU.
Ministers will need will and ambition, Macron added, “because our country needs reform and transformation through the policies you will govern in the coming years.”
Those leaving the government after just six weeks in office include Damien Abad, who was chosen by the conservative LR to join Macron’s centrist government as minister of solidarity and disabled people but faced multiple allegations of sexual assault , which he denied.
Three ministers who ran in last month’s legislative elections but lost their seats – including Environment Minister Amelie de Montchallen and Health Minister Brigitte Bourguignon – also stood down in line with democratic accountability guidelines set by Macron.
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Macron said he wanted to focus on tackling climate change and modernizing and improving France’s health and education sectors, as well as introducing a controversial pension reform that would raise the retirement age from 62 to the full 65.
The new health minister, who will have to deal with the rise in Covid-19 infections from highly contagious variants of the coronavirus, is Francois Brown, a doctor and head of the emergency department at a hospital in eastern France.
The highest ministerial posts remain unchanged. Bruno Le Maire, Macron’s finance minister since 2017, will continue to oversee the economy with an expanded portfolio that includes “industrial and digital sovereignty.”
Gerald Darmanen, also close to Macron, remains in the interior ministry. Catherine Colonna, a former ambassador to London, remains at the Quai d’Orsay as foreign minister, while Pape Ndiaye remains education minister.
Christophe Bechu – an ally of former prime minister and 2027 presidential candidate Edouard Philippe – replaced de Montchalin as environment minister, while Agnes Panier-Runacher, who was previously in charge of industry, became energy minister.
“The political situation we have now requires more than ever transparency, dialogue and democratic renewal,” said Olivier Verand, a former health minister who is the government’s new ministerial spokesman. “We have so much to do to rebuild and rediscover trust.”
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