After months of political deadlock, France is set to complete its new government by Sunday as President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Michel Barnier negotiate a cabinet reshuffle that marks a shift to the right, France 24 said.
Prime Minister Barnier’s office said the full line-up, including new faces in almost all key posts, would emerge once finalised after two and a half months of stalemate caused by inconclusive legislative elections. However, there were no major surprises, with new foreign, economy and home affairs ministers expected to be appointed, and of the key government posts, only the defence minister will remain unchanged.
Sources said Barnier is proposing Europe Minister Jean-Noel Barrot for the post of foreign minister. The step would be a major promotion for the 41-year-old, whose spectacular media appearances have impressed observers. Strengthening France’s presence on the international stage, on the other hand, might turn out to be more challenging.
Other sources said Bruno Retailleau, who heads the right-wing Republican (RR) faction in the upper house of the French Senate, is set to head the interior ministry. The appointment of the interior ministry, which oversees police and internal security, would consider a major success by nationally-oriented parties.
Antoine Armand, the 33-year-old head of the parliamentary commission on economic affairs, may take over as economy minister. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu will remain in his post because of his trusted relationship with the French leader.
The prime minister visited the Elysee Palace on Thursday evening to discuss the nominees with Macron. Names still need to be vetted to make sure there are no conflicts of interest before they enter government. Macron is unlikely to try to veto Barnier’s proposals.
However, there is still room for controversy. A last-minute dispute has emerged over the proposed appointment of LR senator Laurence Garnier as minister for the family. Macron’s centrist allies strongly protested her appointment as an MP, as Garnier has opposed both same-sex marriage and the inclusion of abortion rights in the constitution.
There have been clashes between Macron, a centrist, and Barnier, an LR spokesman, over the balance of the government, particularly at a lunch earlier this week that was reportedly far from cordial. According to Le Monde daily, Barnier even raised the issue of resignation just days after taking office, but tensions were subsequently settled.
The prime minister himself has already faced many problems since taking office. He faced criticism over the fact that in 1981 he joined more than 150 conservatives in the National Assembly to vote against the law decriminalising young homosexuals. He also stated that the budgetary situation in France was very serious, as a result of which formal proceedings were initiated against Paris for breaching EU budgetary rules.
