Paris, Sep 22 (UNI) The Elysee Palace announced on Saturday the new cabinet composition, in which several ministers from the previous French government retained their posts.
Thus, Sebastien Lecornu, who has been the country’s defense minister since May 2022, retained his position. As reported by French media, French President Emmanuel Macron did not want to replace Lecornu in the context of the conflict in Ukraine and the agreements on assistance that France provides to Kiev.
Rachida Dati, the former justice minister under Nicolas Sarkozy, who was appointed by Macron as the culture minister in January 2024, also retained her post.
Former deputy foreign minister for European affairs, 41-year-old Jean-Noel Barrot, was promoted to become the foreign minister. As noted by the French media, the appointment of Barrot, who has no diplomatic experience, indicates that Macron intends to keep the sphere of diplomacy under his direct control, which is allowed by the constitution.
Agnes Pannier-Runacher was again appointed the minister of ecological transition, energy, climate and risk prevention.
Of the most prominent appointments, the media note 63-year-old Republican Bruno Retailleau, the only “heavyweight” in the new government who was entrusted to lead the Interior Ministry. Since 2014, Retailleau has been leading the Republican faction in the Senate. He is considered a tough right-wing politician who seeks to regulate immigration, toughen penalties for crimes, reduce the number of officials and limit the right to strike. In 2022, he intended to run for president from the Republican Party, but lost in the primaries.
The appointment of a new finance minister was expected, who in October must present a draft law on the country’s 2025 budget in the context of an acute deficit of public funds and growing public debt. The post was filled by a member of parliament from Macron’s party, 33-year-old Antoine Armand, who has been the head of the economic affairs committee in the National Assembly for the past two months.
The only representative of the left, 72-year-old Didier Migaud, joined the government as the new minister of justice. He was the president of the High Authority for the transparency of public life, responsible for monitoring the declarations of assets and conflicts of interest of ministers. Migault had been a member of parliament for the Socialists for over twenty years. Other representatives of the left bloc did not join the government, despite the fact that their coalition had gained more votes in the parliamentary elections in July.
Macronist Maud Brejon was appointed the cabinet’s spokesperson.
In total, the new cabinet has 39 members: 19 ministers, as well as 20 ministers-delegates and secretaries of state. The first meeting of the new council of ministers will take place on Monday.
