French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to appoint a broadly unchanged Cabinet sparked an immediate backlash from opposition parties, undermining Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s chances of surviving a make-or-break week in parliament.
Most senior members from the Cabinet of ousted premier Francois Bayrou were renamed to their posts in a clear continuation of Macron’s centrist policy aims. The president didn’t reappoint Eric Lombard as finance minister, but his replacement, Roland Lescure, is a close ally who previously ran the industry portfolio.
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen said in a social media post that Macron’s continuity was "pathetic” and leaves her National Rally party "speechless.” The Socialist Party, which holds a potential swing vote in the National Assembly, repeated warnings that it would support a motion to topple Lecornu unless he marks a clear adjustment in direction.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.