President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday appointed most of a new cabinet that left many holdovers in key positions, a semblance of stability that will do little to dispel persistent doubts over the French government’s ability to survive long enough to pass a budget this year.
The appointments were made nearly a month after the previous government collapsed, leading Mr. Macron to pick a close ally, Sébastien Lecornu, as prime minister.
Two tough-talking politicians, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, will return from the last government.
But the appointment of Bruno Le Maire, the former economy and finance minister between 2017 and 2024, as defense minister, came as a surprise. A veteran centrist politician, Mr. Le Maire was blamed by political opponents for France’s worsening economic situation after what critics said was an overly generous government spending policy during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Roland Lescure, a former deputy industry minister, was appointed as finance and economy minister.
Eighteen ministers were appointed on Sunday. About five more are expected to be appointed following a policy speech by the prime minister on Tuesday afternoon, according to French news media.
The cabinet, composed of major centrist and conservative personalities, is largely similar to the two previous ones. Like Michel Barnier and François Bayrou, France’s last two prime minister, who managed to remain in office for less than a year, Mr. Lecornu will have to rely on a fragile alliance between centrist parties and the Republicans, France’s right-wing party, a constraint that guided the selection of the ministers.
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