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French President Emmanuel Macron has unveiled his new government almost three months after a snap general election delivered a hung parliament.<\/p>\n
The long-awaited new line up, led by Prime Minister Michel Barnier, marks a decisive shift to the right, even though a left-wing alliance won most parliamentary seats.<\/p>\n
Despite the partnership between Macron\u2019s centrist party and those on the right, parliament remains fractured and will rely on the support of other parties to pass legislation.<\/p>\n
It comes as the European Union puts France on notice over its spiralling debt, which now far exceeds EU rules.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Among those gaining a position in the new cabinet is Bruno Retailleau, a key member of the conservative Republicans Party founded by former president Nicolas Sarkozy.<\/p>\n
He has been appointed interior minister, a portfolio that includes immigration.<\/p>\n
A total of 10 politicians from the Republicans have given cabinet jobs, though Macron has kept a number of outgoing ministers in key posts.<\/p>\n
Close Macron ally Sebastien Lecornu has been kept on as defence minister, and Jean-Noel Barrot, the outgoing Europe minister, has been promoted to foreign minister.<\/p>\n
Just one left-wing politician was given a post in the cabinet, independent Didier Migaud, who was appointed as justice minister.<\/p>\n
The post of finance minister went to Antoine Armand, a member of Macron\u2019s own Renaissance party who, until now, was of little political renown.<\/p>\n
Armand has the task of drafting the government\u2019s budget bill before the new year to address France\u2019s dire deficit.<\/p>\n
Prior to the snap election, the European Union’s executive arm warned France that it would be disciplined for contravening the bloc’s financial rules.<\/p>\n
France’s public-sector deficit is projected to reach around 5.6% of GDP this year and go over 6% in 2025. The EU has a 3% limit on deficits.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Michel Barnier, a veteran conservative, was named as Macron\u2019s prime minister earlier this month.<\/p>\n
Barnier had been the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, and it was he who tackled the task of forming a new government capable of surviving the fractured National Assembly.<\/p>\n
Members of the left-wing alliance, the New Popular Front (NFP) have threatened a no-confidence motion in the new government.<\/p>\n
In the July election, the NFP won the most parliamentary seats of any political bloc, but not enough for an overall majority.<\/p>\n
Far-left leader Jean-Luc M\u00e9lenchon called for the new government to “be got rid of” as soon as possible.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
On Saturday, before the cabinet announcement, thousands of left-wing supporters demonstrated in Paris against the incoming government, arguing that the left\u2019s performance in the election was not taken into consideration.<\/p>\n
The alliance between centrist and conservative parties in the cabinet is not enough to pass legislation on its own.<\/p>\n
It will depend on others, such as Marine Le Pen’s far right National Rally to stay in power and get bills into law.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n