In search of a new lease of life after the setback suffered in the June legislative elections, Emmanuel Macron unveiled on Monday the composition of the new French government, which will have the difficult task of implementing its reforms without an absolute majority in the National Assembly.
Highly anticipated, the new team of the centrist-liberal president was presented two days before the general speech of the Prime Minister, Élisabeth Borne, in front of Parliament and against which the left-wing coalition NUPES has not ruled out voting a motion of censure. .
“We now have a government of action and legitimacy to build compromises and to strengthen and expand the presidential majority, law text by law text”, we believe in the entourage of the head of state.
The new cast, which gives more space to the president’s allies without integrating big moves on the right or on the left as had been the case in the past, was coolly received by the opposition, who denounced a “non-event and Emmanuel Macron’s failure to take into account the “will of the French for another policy”.
After several weeks of procrastination at the top of the state about him, the Minister of Solidarity, Autonomy and Disabled People, Damien Abad, under investigation for attempted rape, is himself ousted. He denounced Monday “despicable slanders”.
“It was noted that he found himself unable to be able to defend himself and defend the ministerial field which was his,” explains an adviser to the executive.
The Minister of Development, Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, targeted by two complaints of rape allegedly committed in the context of her profession as a gynecologist, retains her post.
As expected, the reshuffle marked the departure of the three ministers and secretaries of state beaten in the legislative elections at the end of June – Amélie de Montchalin (Ecological Transition), Brigitte Bourguignon (Health) and Justine Benin (Sea).
The latter is replaced in her post by Hervé Berville, deputy of Rwandan origin from the presidential party.
“Making Europe shine”
The portfolio of Yaël Braun-Pivet, responsible for Overseas France and elected President of the National Assembly last week – the first woman in this key position in France – was entrusted to the former prefect Jean- Francois Carenco.
More unexpectedly, the Minister Delegate in charge of Europe, Clément Beaune, leaves the Quai d’Orsay and will take up the post of Minister of Transport within the new government. He is replaced by the economist Laurence Boone, who assured during the transfer of power that she intended to “contribute to making Europe shine”.
The very strategic post of government spokesperson goes to Olivier Véran, former Minister of Health and outgoing Minister of Relations with Parliament.
In total, the government II of Elisabeth Borne, which had in its provisional version (between the presidential and the legislative elections) 17 ministers, six deputy ministers and four secretaries of state, now has 41 members, including 20 women.
purchasing power
This reshuffle comes in a delicate context for Emmanuel Macron, re-elected on April 24 against the far right for a second five-year term, but deprived of an absolute majority in the National Assembly.
The Head of State, who had passed his reforms generally without difficulty during his first five-year term, will this time have to forge alliances on a case-by-case basis to try to pass his flagship texts.
The first text examined by the Assembly will be, from July 11, the bill on the fight against COVID-19, followed from July 18 by the bill on purchasing power, concern number one. the French.
On June 25, the president had indicated to AFP that the presidential project, like that of the presidential majority, could “be amended or enriched”, provided however that the modifications do not lead to an increase in taxes or the debt.
The general policy speech of Elisabeth Borne on Wednesday should give indications on the orientations that the executive intends to take in the coming months.
Claimed by the opposition but risky without an absolute majority, the question of a vote of confidence on the declaration of Ms. Borne was to be decided during the council of ministers, convened at 4 p.m. this Monday (10 a.m. in Quebec).