New French Prime Minister announces new cabinet

On the evening of December 23 (local time), French Prime Minister François Bayrou officially announced the composition of his new Cabinet, more than 2 weeks after being appointed to the position by President Emmanuel Macron.

The new cabinet, consisting of 34 ministers from the right, centre and left, is considered capable of avoiding censorship, not abusing Article 49.3 to pass bills, and avoiding falling into a situation of being voted on no confidence, which could lead to dissolution like previous governments.

In this list, Prime Minister Bayrou only retained the positions of 3 ministers: Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu, Minister of Culture Rachida Dati and Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot.

In addition, the new Cabinet also includes two former prime ministers and two former ministers who have been transferred to management positions.

The immediate priorities of the new Cabinet, as summarized by the French press, include focusing on important emergencies, prioritizing budget savings over tax revenues, and limiting migration pressure and reducing crime.

In an interview after announcing the new government, Prime Minister François Bayrou expressed pride and confidence in a government “with experience in reconciliation and restoring trust with all the French people.”

The new French Prime Minister also affirmed that he wanted to create a new, tighter government and tried to find a balance.

According to the announcement of the Élysée Palace, the first meeting of the Council of Ministers of the François Bayrou government will be held on January 3, 2025.