Many heavyweights remain
Macron changes ministers in new government
January 12, 2024, 6:35 a.m
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After Prime Minister Borne’s resignation, many things in the Elysée Palace remain as they were. The government is being reshuffled, but many remain in their positions. French President Macron is only reappointing the heads of the foreign, culture and education ministries.
As part of the government reshuffle in France, President Emmanuel Macron is sticking with many of the heavyweights of the previous cabinet. Bruno Le Maire remains Minister of Economics and Finance and Gérald Darmanin remains head of the Interior Department, as the Élysée Palace announced in Paris in the evening. Defense Minister remains Sébastian Lecornu and the judiciary continues to be headed by Éric Dupond-Moretti.
However, there is a change in the Foreign Ministry: Stéphane Séjourné, general secretary of Macron’s Renaissance party and former presidential advisor, is replacing Catherine Colonna. There is also a change at the top of the Ministry of Culture. This will be headed by Rachida Dati, who was Justice Minister from 2007 to 2009 and belongs to the conservative opposition party Les Républicains. She succeeds Rima Abdul Malak, who was involved in the affair surrounding actor Gérard Depardieu, who is accused of sexism and sexual abuse. She had described Depardieu as a “disgrace for France”, while Macron partially defended the actor.
Macron is trying to flee forward
On Tuesday, Macron appointed the previous Education Minister Gabriel Attal as the new Prime Minister. The centrist government of Élisabeth Borne had previously resigned under pressure from the president. Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra is now also responsible for the education department.
For Macron, the government reshuffle is about a move forward. Since the 2022 parliamentary elections, his camp no longer has an absolute majority in the National Assembly and is dependent on votes from the opposition. With the new government, Macron wants to unite his own camp and go into the European elections stronger, in which Marine Le Pen’s right-wing nationalists threaten to significantly overtake his political forces.