PARIS – French President Emmanuel Macron slightly shuffled his cabinet on Monday in an attempt to start a second term, weeks after an election that significantly weakened his parliamentary majority and favored opponents. his political leader.
Mr. Macron, who has been busy in international summits and diplomatic efforts on the war in Ukraineand who has yet to chart a solid domestic course for his second term, is now looking for a fresh start after his coalition of centrist parties lost its absolute majority last month in the National Assembly, the House of Representatives of France.
After that election, Mr. Macron asked Elisabeth Borneprime minister, to consult parliamentary groups to form “a new action government” that could include representatives from across the political landscape, and Ms Borne spent most of her time time in the past week to meet with party leaders.
But Monday’s new appointments were not as sweeping as might have been suggested, and the turmoil came as no big surprise, meaning the new government likely won’t help Mr Macron pass his bills easily. easier than in France. house under fragmentation.
Mr Macron, speaking to newly appointed ministers on Monday for the first meeting of his cabinet, said he wanted a government that was “ambitious”, capable of forging “challenging compromises”. awake”.
“Our country needs reform, transformation, as he blames the mainstream opposition parties for their ‘unwillingness’ to participate in his government,” Mr. Macron said.
Miss Borne and many heavyweights have Appointed in May after Mr. Macron’s re-election remained in place, including Bruno Le Maire, who has been in charge of the economy since Mr. Macron was first elected in 2017; Pap Ndiaye, a scholar of Senegalese and French descent, is the minister of education; and Catherine Colonna and Sébastien Lecornu, ministers of foreign affairs and defense.
Olivier Véran, who in May was nominated as minister in charge of relations with Parliament, was appointed government spokesman on Monday. Mr. Véran, a neuroscientist by training, was health minister at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic during Mr Macron’s first term and was the face for much of the government’s response, making him became one of the government’s most notable figures.
Mr. Véran, speaking to reporters before taking office on Monday, said that “more than ever, the political landscape requires transparency, dialogue, innovation” to address “the feeling of disconnect“Between the French people and their politicians.
“Every day, on every bill, we will have to constantly look for a majority, not only with the legislators but also with the majority of the French people,” Mr. Véran said.
Mr Macron had announced ahead of the June parliamentary elections that any ministers running for office would have to resign if they lost. Three people were in that situation, including Health Minister Brigitte Bourguignon, who was replaced Monday by François Braun, an emergency physician and head of an umbrella organization of emergency departments of the country. France. Mr. Braun was recently tasked by the government to find a solution to Summer staff shortages have made it difficult for hospitals in France.
The new appointments suggest that Macron needs to bolster support from his allied centre-right parties: MoDem, Macron’s longtime partner, and Horizons, a group founded by Édouard Philippe, his former prime minister out. Six cabinet positions were filled by members of these parties on Monday, up from the previous two.
But Mr. Macron did not hunt for any major targets from left- or right-wing parties, as he has several times in the past, and he even brought back officials who were once in his cabinet. during his first term, prompting opponents to argue that Mr. Macron has a very shallow bench to choose from.
Pierre-Henri Dumont, deputy secretary general of Les Républicains, Mr. Macron’s right-wing opposition, told BFMTV news channel on Monday that the new government “looks more like the end of a dynasty than the beginning of a new one.”
“No major generals were poached, no big names, even though we were promised a government of national unity,” Mr. Dumont said.
Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Organization party – organization won a record number of seats in the National Assembly last month – say on Twitter that Mr. Macron had “again ignored the verdict of the ballot box and the desire of the French people for a new policy”.
Mr Macron has refused to re-appoint Damien Abad, the minister of solidarity and disability, who has faced growing numbers allegations of sexual assault and rape since being nominated in May.
At least three different women have brought charges against Mr. Abad, who has staunchly denied wrongdoing and the Paris prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into him last week, amid private circumstances. French political figures are increasingly speculative about sexism and sexual abuse.
Mr Abad said at a news conference on Monday that faced with “lowly maniacs”, he should resign “so that I can defend myself without hindering government action”.
Laurence Boone, chief economist at the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, is the new minister for European affairs, replacing Clément Beaune, a key ally of Mr. will become the minister in charge of transport. .
The cabinet reshuffle comes before a general policy speech Miss Borne is expected to come before the lower house on Wednesday.
The speech is an important tradition that gives prime ministers the opportunity to set out the policies and priorities of the new government, but it does not automatically follow a vote of confidence. Either way, prime ministers are often looking for someone to bolster support and give their cabinet a powerful mandate, but Borne won’t.
“We are not certain that the conditions for this confidence will be met,” Mr. Véran said at a post-cabinet press conference. Instead, he said, the government will seek support from “billing” lawmakers.
France Unbowed, the main left-wing opposition party in Parliament, has said it will call for a vote of no confidence in Ms Borne to try to force her to resign. But such a vote can only succeed if the left, the far right and the mainstream conservatives vote together, which is far from certain.
One of the new government’s first business orders will be a bill intended to help the French keep up with inflation by increasing some welfare subsidies, limiting rent increases and creating subsidies for households. poorer to buy essential food products.
Inflation in the euro area rose to a record 8.6% last weekThe aftermath of the war in Ukraine and the economic conflict between Russia and Western Europe continue to push up energy prices – although France’s inflation rate, at 6.5%, is relatively lower than in other countries. other Europe.
