Hollande reshuffles govt before polls
Paris, Feb. 11: France’s Socialist President Francois Hollande reshuffled his government on Thursday to prepare for 2017 presidential elections by bringing back his former Prime Minister to his Cabinet as well as three Green politicians.
Former Prime Minister Jean- Marc Ayrault becomes foreign minister, replacing Laurent Fabius who is leaving to head the country’s top constitutional council.
After two years as Prime Minister at the start of Mr Hollande’s mandate, Mr Ayrault was dropped in favour of the younger and more thrusting Manuel Valls. A discreet man and fluent German speaker, he is a close ally of Mr Hollande.
The head of the Greens
Former French Prime Minister Jean- Marc Ayrault becomes the new foreign minister, replacing Laurent Fabius who is leaving to head the country’s top constitutional council
party, Emmanuelle Cosse, joins the government as housing minister, showing Mr Hollande is reaching out beyond his Socialist party to prepare for the presidential election. Two dissident Green legislators also join the government as secretaries of state.
The head of the small Left Radical Party JeanMichel Baylet becomes minister for local authorities, replacing a more junior member of his party who until then was housing minister.
Most other key portfolios were unchanged. Manuel Valls stays on as Prime Minister, Michel Sapin as finance minister and Emmanuel Macron as economy minister.