The French presidential palace finally unveiled a new government on Saturday dominated by conservatives and centrists, two months after the legislative snap elections that seemed to put the country in political turmoil.
The 39-member Cabinet is primarily made up of ministers from Macron’s centrist alliance and the conservative Republicans.
Jean-Noël Barrot has been appointed as Foreign Minister and was Macron’s minister for digital affairs.
Antoine Armand takes the role of Finance Minister, tasked with managing the upcoming 2025 budget amid pressure to address France’s mounting debt.
Sébastien Lecornu, a Macron loyalist, retains his position as Defence Minister.
The previously conservative senator, Bruno Retailleau, has been appointed Interior Minister and is known for his hard-right views, as he was a driving force behind the party’s shift to the right.
Benjamin Haddad was appointed as Europe Minister and is known for his contacts in Washington, DC.
Didier Migaud, an independent left-wing politician, is the only leftist member in the Cabinet, serving as Justice Minister.
In parallel, student groups and activists from the left held protests around the country on Saturday against the new government, accusing it of rejecting the voters’ will from the June-July snap parliamentary elections.
Before the snap election, the European Union’s executive arm warned France that it would face consequences for violating the bloc’s financial rules.
For context, France’s public sector deficit is expected to be around 5.6% of GDP this year, surpassing 6% in 2025, while the EU enforces a 3% limit on deficits.
