Jean Castex appointed French PM in cabinet reshuffle
French president Emmanuel Macron has appointed local mayor Jean Castex as prime minister following this morning’s resignation of Edouard Philippe.
Castex, who masterminded France’s exit from the coronavirus lockdown, will be tasked with forming the new government, the Elysee palace said.
The overhaul is part of a push from Macron to “reinvent” centrist party En Marche after last weekend’s poor showing in municipal elections.
Both Castex and predecessor Philippe were reappointed mayor of their local areas in the polls, in Prades in the Pyrenees and northern port city Le Havre respectively.
In French government reshuffles, it is customary for the prime minister to resign first, with the rest of the cabinet following suit.
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A surge in support for the Green party in the recent elections reiterated Macron’s struggles with securing votes from left-leaning citizens.
Political analysts said that the reshuffle posed a considerable risk, with Philippe widely deemed to be more popular than his boss.
With two years of his presidency yet to run, Macron is now facing the added challenge of the steepest depression since World War Two, with the French economy set to shrink 11 per cent in 2020.
The rest of the new cabinet is yet to be appointed, but much could centre on whether finance minister Bruno Le Maire is returned to his position.
Le Maire has been a key figure in the French response to the coronavirus, agreeing deals to support huge firms such as Renault and Air France.