French President Emmanuel Macron announced the formation of a new government on Saturday, ending two months of political deadlock following June’s snap election, which resulted in a hung Parliament.
The new 39-member Cabinet leans right, with a significant number of centrist and conservative politicians, including key appointments from the Republicans party.
In a notable move, Macron appointed Michel Barnier, a former European Union Brexit negotiator and member of the Republicans, as France's new prime minister. This appointment, alongside 10 other Republicans taking Cabinet positions, signals a shift to the right. Bruno Retailleau, known for his hard-right stance, was named interior minister and will oversee pressing issues such as national security and immigration.
Despite the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) coalition winning the most seats in June’s election, it failed to secure a majority, and Macron rejected a left-wing government, citing concerns over “institutional stability.” The NFP has pledged to challenge the new government with a no-confidence motion, though Macron dismissed the possibility of it gaining enough support.
Retailleau, after his appointment, took to social media to declare his commitment to restoring order, stating, “The French expect only one thing from public officials: results.” Macron retained close allies in other major roles, including Sebastien Lecornu as defense minister and Jean-Noel Barrot as foreign minister.
Antoine Armand, a 33-year-old member of Macron’s Renaissance party, was appointed finance minister and vowed to prioritize France’s economic sovereignty and ecological transition. The public finances will be jointly managed by Armand and new budget minister Laurent Saint-Martin, with the challenging task of addressing the country’s rising deficit.
Didier Migaud, the only left-wing addition to the Cabinet, was named justice minister. The new government will meet for the first time on Monday, but left-wing leader Jean-Luc Melenchon has already criticized the lineup, calling it a “government of the general election losers” and urging its removal.
