Paris (AFP)
More than thirty ministers and deputy ministers, including eight incoming: the government of Prime Minister Jean Castex announced Monday by the Elysée, has its share of surprises starting with Eric Dupond-Moretti at Justice and Roselyne Bachelot at Culture.
The secretary general of the Elysée Palace Alexis Kohler took his place as is tradition on the porch to announce shortly after 19H00 the composition of the government which must apply the presidential strategy of the end of the quinquennium. It has 16 ministers and 14 deputy ministers.
The first announced in the protocol order is Jean-Yves Le Drian renewed in his functions of Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs.
Nine other ministers more or less keep their portfolios, sometimes with adjustments. They are Jean-Michel Blanquer (National education, youth and sports), Bruno Le Maire (Economy, finance and recovery), Florence Parly (Armies), Jacqueline Gourault (Cohesion of territories), Olivier Véran (Solidarity and health) , Marc Fesneau (Relations with Parliament), Jean Baptiste Djebbari (Transport) Frédérique Vidal (Higher education) and Roxana Maracineanu (Sports).
Eight new ministers or deputy ministers are entering government.
Among them, the LREM deputy for the Somme, Barbara Pompili, 45, becomes Minister of the Ecological Transition. The former EELV deputy had been secretary of state under François Hollande.
Media lawyer Eric Dupond-Moretti succeeds Nicole Belloubet in Justice, while Roselyne Bachelot is appointed to Culture.
Elisabeth Moreno is added to Equality between women and men, Alain Griset to SMEs, Brigitte Klinkert to Integration, as well as MP LREM Nadia Hai to the City and her colleague Brigitte Bourguignon to Autonomy who complete the government team. .
In Bercy, Bruno Le Maire will be supported by three deputy ministers: Olivier Dussopt, in charge of Public Accounts, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, in charge of Industry, and Alain Griset.
Some change their attributions, like Gérald Darmanin, appointed Minister of the Interior after having been responsible for Action and public accounts. It is a "great honor for the immigrant grandson that I am", he reacted on Twitter, thanking his predecessor Christophe Castaner for his "courageous and determined action in the service of the protection of our fellow citizens.
Other ministers who change their portfolio include Elisabeth Borne, appointed Minister of Labor, Sébastien Lecornu (Overseas), Annick Girardin (Mer) or Franck Riester (Foreign Trade).
The first Council of Ministers of the new government will take place Tuesday at 3:00 p.m., the Elysee said.
Parity is respected for ministers with 8 men and 8 women, while the government has 5 deputy ministers for men and 9 women.
Including Jean Castex and Secretary of State Gabriel Attal, appointed spokesperson, the government has a total of 15 men and 17 women.
Among the first reactions, Jean-Luc Mélenchon criticized on Twitter "an ordinary liberal government", while Christian Jacob (LR) saw in it "essentially a game of musical chairs". "All that for that!" He told AFP.
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