Macron appoints top civil servant as his new PM

FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron yesterday named top civil servant Jean Castex, who orchestrated France’s coronavirus lockdown exit strategy, as his new prime minister, in a bid to win back voters.

Mr Castex (55) hails from the centre-right of French politics and served for two years as the second-highest ranking official in the Elysée Palace during Nicolas Sarkozy’s presidency.

An Elysée official described Mr Castex as a senior civil servant whose experience as a local mayor would help Mr Macron connect with provincial France.

Mr Castex was a “social Gaullist”, the official said in reference to the more interventionist, socially minded wing of France’s centre-right.

The announcement followed the resignation of Edouard Philippe ahead of a widely anticipated overhaul of the government by Mr Macron.

Mr Macron is reshaping his government as France grapples with the deepest economic depression since World War II, a sharp downturn that will shrink the economy by about 11pc in 2020 and reverse hard-fought gains on unemployment.

Investors will be watching to see if Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, who has overseen reforms to liberalise the economy and spent big to keep companies afloat during the crisis, keeps his job.

Mr Macron said last month he wanted to start afresh as France embarks on a costly recovery from its coronavirus slump. Then came his party’s dire showing in municipal elections on June 28, underlining Mr Macron’s troubles connecting with ordinary people.

Mr Macron is taking a gamble by replacing Mr Philippe, who is more popular than the president, analysts say.