French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to name a new government this weekend, putting together a leaner team under Sebastien Lecornu, as he seeks to resolve a deepening political crisis, sources told AFP on Thursday.
The new cabinet lineup would be unveiled three weeks after the appointment of Sebastien Lecornu, the seventh prime minister under Macron.
According to several parliamentary and executive sources, the new government lineup is expected to be unveiled on Saturday morning or Sunday evening at the latest.
Lecornu, a 39-year-old former defence minister with a keen political nose, is set to put together a tight team of around 20 to 25 ministers, with many key government members expected to keep their jobs, the sources told AFP.
By comparison, there were 35 ministers in the cabinet of Lecornu's predecessor, Francois Bayrou.
The push for a leaner government aligns with authorities' plan to reduce France's soaring public debt, an outgoing minister said.
"There will be many departures" and "three or four arrivals", she said on condition of anonymity.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot is expected to keep his job, while who will succeed Lecornu as defence minister is still an open question.
Several figures have been tipped for the post, including the outgoing labour and health minister, Catherine Vautrin.
Economy Minister Eric Lombard, who is associated with Bayrou's aggressive austerity proposals, is expected to be replaced.
Bruno Retailleau, the tough-talking interior minister who has vowed to crack down on illegal immigration, and Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin are both expected to keep their jobs.
Education Minister Elisabeth Borne and Manuel Valls, the minister for overseas territories, are also expected to remain in the government.
Rachida Dati, the scandal-ridden culture minister who is set to stand trial for corruption next year, might be heading for the exit, although some believe she will keep her job.
In early September, the French president named Lecornu prime minister, plumping for one of his closest allies rather than seeking to broaden the appeal of the government across the political spectrum.
Lecornu has served in every government since Macron's first election as president in 2017.
Lecornu's predecessors, Bayrou and Michel Barnier, were both ousted in a standoff over France's austerity budget in a deeply divided parliament.
France has been mired in deadlock since Macron gambled on snap elections last summer in the hopes of bolstering his authority. The move backfired, producing a parliament fractured between three rival blocs.
Macron, who has just 18 months left in power and is enduring his worst-ever popularity levels, has struggled to pull France out of the worsening political and economic crisis but has said he will serve out the remainder of his term.
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