Macron holds first meeting with amended French government

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to meet with his cabinet in its final formation at the Élysée Palace on Friday morning before the summer break. The meeting will include the traditional transfer of power between outgoing ministers and their successors.

Government spokesperson Olivier Veran stated that President Macron will present this "strengthened government" and may discuss the situation in the country, which has witnessed protests over pension reform and subsequent riots following the killing of a teenager by a police officer during a traffic stop.

Several ministers have left the government, but key ministers in charge of interior, justice, finance, and the armed forces will remain in their positions. While 11 out of 41 positions have changed, the overall composition of the government remains intact.

In the Ministry of Health, François Braun, an emergency physician, will make way for Aurélien Rousseau, a surprise guest in this ministerial reshuffle. Rousseau, a specialist in health policies, previously served as the director of Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne's office and played a significant role during Macron's second term.

Rousseau will now step out of the shadows and face new challenges. A similar path was taken by Gabriel Attal, who was promoted from the Court of Auditors to the Ministry of Education at the age of 34.

In the first meeting of the reshuffled government, new faces like the new Minister of State Accounts, Thomas Cazenave, and the leader of the President's deputies, Aurélie Berger, who was appointed Minister of Solidarity, will be present.

After intense negotiations between a change-seeking Prime Minister and a President inclined towards stability, a more experienced team has been formed, with the number of ministers or state ministers who were not elected reduced from 13 to nine. This is the lowest proportion during Macron's tenure.

Thus, members of the government attend the last cabinet meeting before the summer break.

In the meantime, the Élysée clarified that in all the portfolios affected by the ministerial reshuffle, the matter concerns either stronger representation or the ability to implement reforms more quickly and efficiently.

Macron had promised to present his assessment of the "100-day" period, which he set on April 17, to find a solution to the pension crisis.

Among the planned workshops at that time were the creation of a "new covenant for life at work" and even "strengthening control over illegal immigration."

However, at this time, France witnessed several nights of rioting in cities after the killing of a 17-year-old by a police officer during a traffic stop. Macron promised to draw lessons from the situation after a "meticulous investigation."

By confirming Élisabeth Borne as Prime Minister earlier this week, the Élysée indicated that the President intends to prepare for a return (after the summer break) by recalling the clear path he outlined and gathering as much support as possible.

However, the main problem Emmanuel Macron faces remains unchanged. His government still lacks a majority in the National Assembly, as opposition formations refuse to join him.

The President is expected to visit New Caledonia, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea at the beginning of the week.




AFP