France nears new government as Barnier proposes cabinet to Macron
Adds names
PARIS, Sept 19 (Reuters) -After months of political uncertainty following a snap legislative election, France appeared on the cusp of a new government on Thursday, as Prime Minister Michel Barnier was set to present his cabinet to President Emmanuel Macron.
Macron appointed Barnier, the European Union's former Brexit negotiator, as prime minister two weeks ago.
Barnier has struggled to name a new government, underlining the complicated topography of France's political landscape after Macron's ill-fated decision to call a snap legislative election.
The early July vote delivered an unruly hung parliament that has left political unity hard to come by, leaving France in the hands of a caretaker government.
It is now up to Macron to approve Barnier's cabinet.
BFM TV reported that Barnier had proposed conservative Senator Bruno Retailleau as interior minister, while Jean-Noel Barrot would be promoted to foreign minister, after formerly occupying the European affairs post in the ministry.
Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu would remain in his post, BFM TV reported, while 33-year-lawmaker Antoine Armand would take a senior unspecified job in the finance and economy ministry.
The government's priorities will include improving the public's purchasing power as well as guaranteeing security, controlling immigration and better managing the public finances, Barnier's office said.
Settling on a list of names to lead France's key offices of state has been challenging, particularly as the next government will likely have to administer a politically toxic round of spending cuts or tax hikes to improve the country's fiscal mess.
Barnier will need to tread carefully to avoid irking opposition parties who could join up and topple his government with a no-confidence motion.
"The prime minister will have to learn how to engage with an assembly that resembles a cauldron of various sensibilities and temperaments to build a majority," EuroIntelligence said in a note.
Reporting by Zhifan Liu, Tassilo Hummel; Writing by Ingrid Melander and Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Conor Humphries and Hugh Lawson
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