French President Emmanuel Macron appoints new right-wing government

France finally got a new government on Saturday that marks a shift to the right. Left-wing protesters took to the streets to denounce what they saw as a denial of the July election results. The cabinet announced by French President Emmanuel Macron and led by Prime Minister Michel Barnier comes 11 weeks after an inconclusive parliamentary election.

Barnier's first big task will be to present a 2025 budget that addresses France's financial situation, which the prime minister this week described as “very serious.” Barnier, a conservative, is best known internationally as the head of the European Union's Brexit negotiations with Britain. More recently, he has had the difficult task of presenting Macron for approval a cabinet that has the best chance of surviving a no-confidence motion in parliament.

Talks about the distribution of the 39 cabinet posts continued until the official announcement on Saturday, insiders report, with moments of great tension between the president and his prime minister.

Left-wing opposition politicians have already announced that they will challenge his government with a motion of no confidence.

In the July elections, a left-wing bloc called the New Popular Front (NFP) won the most parliamentary seats of any political bloc, but not enough for an absolute majority. Macron argued that the left could not muster enough support to form a government that would not be immediately overthrown in parliament.

Instead, he entrusted Barnier with leading a government that relied mainly on the support of Macron's allies in parliament, but also on the support of the conservative Republicans (LR) and the centrist groups.

“NO FUTURE”

Macron also opted for a neutral stance on the extreme right – but the leader of the Rassemblement National (RN), Jordan Bardella, immediately condemned the composition of the new government.

It marks “a return to Macronism” and therefore has “no future at all,” he said on Saturday.

At the other end of the political spectrum, the far-left agitator Jean-Luc Mélenchon described the new composition as “a government of electoral losers”. France, said Mélenchon, must get rid of this government “as quickly as possible”. His party threatened to increase “the pressure of the people” on the government.

Socialist Party leader Oliver Faure described Barnier's cabinet as a “reactionary government that gives democracy the middle finger.”

“An unnatural government against nature,” was the verdict of Marine Tondelier, leader of the Ecologists party.

New faces in key cabinet positions include Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. Conservative Bruno Retailleau took over the Interior Ministry. His portfolio includes immigration, and his right-wing reputation has caused unrest even in Macron's own camp. Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu, a close ally of Macron, has kept his post.

The difficult task of presenting a budget to parliament next month falls to 33-year-old Antoine Armand, the new finance minister, who previously chaired parliament's economic committee.

However, Greenpeace condemned the appointment of Republican Annie Genevard and Macronist Agnes Pannier-Runacher as heads of the agriculture and climate departments respectively.

“We need radical and ambitious measures to tackle the climate and social crises, but this government already seems trapped in the outdated logic of the old world,” said its executive director for France, Jean-Francois Julliard.

The only politician to the left of centre is the little-known former Socialist Didier Migaud, who was appointed Minister of Justice.

STREET PROTESTS

Even before the announcement, thousands of people took to the streets in Paris and other French cities on Saturday to protest against a cabinet that they believe does not reflect the outcome of the parliamentary elections. The new government does not include any member of the NFP bloc.

“I'm here because this result does not correspond to what people voted for,” said 21-year-old Violette Bourguignon at a demonstration in Paris. “I'm worried and angry. What is the point of elections anyway?” she said.

Barnier will deliver a major political speech to Parliament on October 1. He will then face the urgent task of presenting to the National Assembly a budget plan to tackle France's growing budget deficit and debt mountain – the first major test for his government.

Even before Barnier was elected head of government, formal proceedings had been initiated against France for violating the European Union's budgetary rules.

France's budget deficit is expected to reach around 5.6 percent of GDP this year and rise to over six percent in 2025. EU rules set a deficit ceiling of three percent.

“I note that the country's budgetary situation is very serious,” Barnier said in a statement to AFP on Wednesday, adding that the situation requires “more than just beautiful explanations.”

The first meeting of the new cabinet is scheduled for Monday afternoon.