Paris: The newly appointed French Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, has submitted the final list of cabinet ministers to the country’s President Emmanuel Macron, French broadcaster BFMTV reported.
On Thursday, Macron rejected a previously proposed version of the list, considering it “monochrome,” as it had a significant number of representatives of the right-wing Republicans party, of which Barnier is a member, French newspaper Le Monde reported.
The final governmental structure has been sent to the Elysee Palace, BFMTV reported late on Friday, adding that the cabinet composition might be officially announced in the nearest hours before Sunday.
Earlier in the week, Le Monde reported, citing sources from France’s presidential office, that although Macron allowed Barnier to decide the composition of the government, he emphasized the importance of achieving national unity and political balance. The president is concerned that a possible vote of no confidence leading to Barnier’s resignation could undermine his own presidency, the sources close to Macron told the newspaper.
On September 5, Macron appointed Michel Barnier, the European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator, to the leading position in the French cabinet 60 days after the snap parliamentary elections. He is widely considered a conservative politician, while some even believe he nurtures far-right views. Barnier has advocated limiting migration to the EU and even proposed introducing an entry moratorium for three to five years for all migrants, except asylum seekers and foreign students.
In the snap parliamentary elections in July, the left-wing New Popular Front bloc won the majority of votes, receiving 182 seats out of 577. Macron’s Together coalition came in second, receiving 168 seats in the National Assembly. The right-wing National Rally party with its allies from the Republicans Party became the third force in parliament with 143 seats
