A day after France’s government reshuffle, President Emmanuel Macron set out ministers’ priorities in a speech on Friday (July 21).
He said they should focus on this summer’s drought, ecological planning, public finances and making public services more efficient.
To mark the reshuffle, below we look at who is who in the government.
Élisabeth Borne
There has been speculation for weeks that Élisabeth Borne would be sacrificed as Mr Macron looked to move on from months of protests over the government’s controversial pension reforms.
But she has been allowed to stay and preside over the reshuffle.
However, she suffers from negative approval ratings, with 56% of French people considering her a “bad” prime minister, according to a new survey.
Bruno Le Maire
Economy minister Bruno Le Maire keeps hold of one of the most important jobs in the French government.
He is Mr Macron’s longest-serving minister and has been in post since the former first came to power in 2017.
Ad
Marlène Schiappa, junior secretary in charge of the social and solidarity economy, left the government.
She was at the centre of two controversies. First, her decision to do a photo shoot in Playboy magazine and second, her handling of the Marianne fund.
Marianne is a €2-million fund that was launched following the assassination of teacher Samuel Paty to help associations fight against hate speech and separatism.
Ms Schiappa is under investigation by the French police for embezzlement and conflict of interest.
Gérald Darmanin
Interior ministers do not tend to stay in post for very long in France.
However, Gérald Darmanin, appointed three years this month, is now one of the longest-serving this century.
He survived the reshuffle despite rumours that he is targeting one day becoming France’s prime minister.
Sabrina Agresti-Roubache is the new junior secretary in charge of French cities, a secretary shared with the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
Catherine Colonna
Catherine Colonna was confirmed as Minister for European and Foreign Affairs, which she has held since the last reshuffle - or remaniement - in 2022.
Gabriel Attal
Gabriel Attal, 34, is considered a rising star in the French government and was arguably the biggest winner from the reshuffle.
He becomes education minister and replaces Pap Ndiaye.
Energetic, well-mannered and articulate, Mr Attal is one of the grassroots members of Mr Macron’s political party, Renaissance, previously called La République en marche.
Mr Attal - who studied at the Ecole alsacienne, a private school in Paris - was promoted after having served as France’s budget minister. Thomas Cazenave succeeds him in that post.
Mr Ndiaye leaves the government and was unable to resist recurrent attacks from the far-right about his “wokeness” and gather enough support within the majority.
Aurélien Rousseau
Aurélien Rousseau, the former director of PM Borne’s cabinet, has become France’s new health minister, François Braun.
Mr Rousseau, who served under previous PM Manuel Valls, had his reputation enhanced by running the Paris regional health agency during the Covid pandemic.
His main task will be to find solutions to France’s struggling health system and battle with MPs over financing for France’s state-run health insurance agency.
Eric Dupond-Moretti
Eric Dupond-Moretti continues as France’s justice minister, a post which he has held since 2020. He presented his plans for justice reform to MPs on Tuesday. It aims to cut delays in France's judicial system by half.
Sébastien Lecornu
Sébastien Lecornu will continue as France’s armies minister, a job he has held since 2022.
Olivier Dussopt
Olivier Dussopt kept his job as France’s labour minister. He has been the main man behind France’s pension reforms - which sees the minimum retirement age rise from 62 to 64 - but will now focus on another majority project. That is reforming Pole Emploi, France’s unemployment agency, which will soon be renamed France Travail.
He will face justice next November over accusations of favouritism when he was mayor of Annonay (Ardèche) in 2009, according to France Bleu.
Sylvie Retailleau
Sylvie Retailleau kept the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, a job she has held since the last remaniement.
Marc Fesneau
Marc Fesneau remains as France’s agriculture minister, a post he has held since 2022.
Christophe Béchu
Christophe Béchu remains as France’s ecological transition minister. Sarah El Haïry was nominated junior secretary in charge of biodiversity.
Agnès Pannier-Runacher
Agnès Pannier-Runacher remains as France’s energy transition minister.
Rima Abdul Malak
Rima Abdul Malak remains as France’s culture minister.
Aurore Bergé
Aurore Bergé is the third newcomer in the government reshuffle. She has become France’s new solidarity and family minister.
She replaced Jean-Christophe Combe, who left the government.
Stanislas Guerini
Stanislas Guerini has kept his post heading up France’s civil service ministry.
Amélie Oudéa-Castéra
Amélie Oudéa-Castéra has kept her post heading up France’s sports ministry.
