French President Emmanuel Macron Nominates New Government Amid Controversy
Just over two weeks after appointing Michel Barnier as his new prime minister, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a new government on Saturday, marked by a significant shift to the right. The cabinet, comprising mostly of Macron’s allies, conservatives, and centrists, has sparked controversy, with opposition politicians from the left already announcing a no-confidence motion.
Barnier, a conservative, has been tasked with addressing France’s financial situation, which he has described as "very serious." His first major challenge will be submitting a 2025 budget plan to parliament, which aims to control France’s rising budget deficit and debt mountain. France’s public-sector deficit is projected to reach around 5.6 percent of GDP this year and exceed six percent in 2025, exceeding EU rules’ three-percent ceiling on deficits.
The new cabinet features several key appointments, including Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, a centrist, and Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, a conservative. Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu, a close Macron ally, has kept his job. The only left-of-centre politician, Didier Migaud, has been named justice minister.
Thousands of people with left-leaning sympathies took to the streets in Paris, Marseille, and other cities on Saturday to protest the new government, accusing it of not reflecting the outcome of the parliamentary election. "I am here because this outcome does not correspond to how people voted," said Violette Bourguignon, 21, demonstrating in Paris. "I am worried and I’m angry. What is the point of having an election at all?"
Barnier will address parliament with a key policy speech on October 1, followed by the urgent task of submitting the budget plan. His cabinet’s first meeting is scheduled for Monday afternoon.
While the new government has already faced criticism from opposition leaders, including the far-left’s Jean-Luc Melenchon and Socialist party chairman Oliver Faure, Macron remains optimistic. The French president is relying on a neutral stance from the far right, despite National Rally leader Jordan Bardella’s condemnation of the government’s composition, labeling it "a return to Macronism" with "no future whatsoever."
