Secretary-General of France's Ruling Party Appointed as Foreign Minister in Prime Minister Gabriel Attal's New Government
French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Stéphane Séjourné, the Secretary-General of his ruling party, as the Foreign Minister in the new government led by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal on Thursday. The reshuffled cabinet held on to many influential figures while being bolstered by the inclusion of two former conservative ministers.
Séjourné, who is very close to Macron and has previously served as his advisor, will be succeeding Catherine Colonna.
This move signifies the departure of two prominent women from key positions, with Colonna stepping down and Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne leaving office.
On the other hand, various important figures retained their posts, notably Bruno Le Maire in Economy, Gérald Darmanin in Interior, Sébastien Lecornu in Defense, and Éric Dupond-Moretti in Justice.
The government, inaugurated on Thursday, also welcomed former conservative ministers Rachida Dati and Catherine Vautrin. Dati, who served as Justice Minister under President Nicolas Sarkozy, was appointed as the Minister of Culture. Vautrin, with multiple ministerial roles under President Jacques Chirac's tenure, was granted the Ministry of Labor, Health, and Solidarity.
Dati's assignment to the Ministry of Culture sparked discontent within the right-wing Republicans party, with its leader Éric Ciotti declaring her exclusion from the party ranks by saying she "has placed herself outside our political family." He added in a statement, "We are the opposition, and so we regret the consequences of her choice," as reported by the French Press Agency.
Having become France's youngest prime minister at the age of 34, Gabriel Attal, who briefly led the Ministry of Education in the past, now faces the task of reinvigorating Emmanuel Macron's second presidential term.
This move signifies the departure of two prominent women from key positions, with Colonna stepping down and Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne leaving office.
On the other hand, various important figures retained their posts, notably Bruno Le Maire in Economy, Gérald Darmanin in Interior, Sébastien Lecornu in Defense, and Éric Dupond-Moretti in Justice.
The government, inaugurated on Thursday, also welcomed former conservative ministers Rachida Dati and Catherine Vautrin. Dati, who served as Justice Minister under President Nicolas Sarkozy, was appointed as the Minister of Culture. Vautrin, with multiple ministerial roles under President Jacques Chirac's tenure, was granted the Ministry of Labor, Health, and Solidarity.
Dati's assignment to the Ministry of Culture sparked discontent within the right-wing Republicans party, with its leader Éric Ciotti declaring her exclusion from the party ranks by saying she "has placed herself outside our political family." He added in a statement, "We are the opposition, and so we regret the consequences of her choice," as reported by the French Press Agency.
Having become France's youngest prime minister at the age of 34, Gabriel Attal, who briefly led the Ministry of Education in the past, now faces the task of reinvigorating Emmanuel Macron's second presidential term.
