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France’s President Emmanuel Macron has announced a new cabinet on Sunday following prolonged negotiations aimed at resolving the country’s political deadlock. The reshuffle comes as Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu seeks to assemble a team capable of passing a critical budget through a hung parliament.
Lecornu’s first attempt at forming a cabinet last Sunday ended in resignation after criticism that it lacked fresh faces. Reappointed on Friday, he unveiled his second lineup, describing it on X as “a mission-driven government… to provide France with a budget before the end of the year.”
The new government blends continuity with new appointments. Jean-Noel Barrot remains foreign minister, while Catherine Vautrin, previously labour minister, takes on the defence portfolio. Macron loyalist Roland Lescure will lead the economy ministry, with the 2026 budget as a key focus.
Among the newcomers, Paris police chief Laurent Nunez assumes the interior ministry, replacing Bruno Retailleau, whose right-wing Republicans party declined participation. Monique Barbut, former France director of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), is appointed head of the Ministry of Environmental Transition.
Several ministers retain their previous roles, including Gerald Darmanin as justice minister and Rachida Dati as culture minister, despite the latter facing a corruption trial next year.
