French President Emmanuel Macron has announced his new government nearly three months after a snap general election that resulted in a hung parliament.
The long-awaited new line-up, led by Prime Minister Michel Barnier, marks a decisive shift to the right, although the left-wing coalition won most seats in parliament.
Despite the cooperation between Macron’s centrist party and the right-wingers, parliament remains divided and will have to rely on the support of other parties to pass legislation.
The incident comes as the European Union has warned France about its growing debt, which now exceeds EU rules.
Among those winning a place in the new cabinet is Bruno Retailleau, a key member of the conservative Republican Party founded by former President Nicolas Sarkozy.
He was appointed home secretary, a post that includes immigration.
A total of 10 Republicans were given cabinet positions, although Macron kept some outgoing ministers in key positions.
Macron’s close ally Sebastien Lecornu was retained as defence minister, and Jean-Noel Barrot, the outgoing Europe minister, was promoted to foreign minister.
Only one left-wing politician was given a cabinet position, independent Didier Migaud, who was appointed justice minister.
The finance minister post was given to Antoine Armand, a member of Macron’s Renaissance party who has so far remained relatively unknown in politics.
Armand is tasked with drafting the government’s budget bill before the new year to tackle France’s severe deficit.
Ahead of the snap election, the European Union’s executive body warned France it would face disciplinary action for breaking the bloc’s financial rules.
France’s public sector deficit is expected to hit around 5.6% of GDP this year and exceed 6% by 2025. The EU has a deficit limit of 3%.
Michel Barnier, a veteran conservative, was appointed prime minister by Macron earlier this month.
Barnier is the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator and it is he who is tasked with forming a new government that can survive a split in Parliament.
Members of the left-wing coalition, the New Popular Front (NFP), have threatened to hold a vote of no confidence in the new government.
In the July election, the NFP won the most seats in the political bloc, but it was still not enough to win a majority.
Far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon called for the new government to be “dissolved” as soon as possible.
On Saturday, before the cabinet announced the election results, thousands of left-wing supporters protested in Paris against the new government, saying the left’s performance in the election was not taken into account.
The coalition between the centrist and conservative parties in the cabinet is not enough to pass the law on its own.
This will depend on others, such as Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Party, to stay in power and pass the bills into law.
