Story highlights
France announces new ministers
The government dissolved Monday amid political turmoil
The economic minister who was blamed for the upheaval was replaced
A new French government was announced Tuesday, one day after it dissolved amid turmoil among top ministers.
The biggest change was the naming of a new economic minister, Emmanuel Macron, who replaces Arnaud Montebourg.
French media reported that the upheaval was caused by public calls from Montebourg for a major reorientation of economic policy in a country where growth has stalled and unemployment remains high.
Macron, a close associate of President Francois Hollande’s, is a former banker.
The former economic minister’s comments were seen as a challenge to the authority of Hollande, and the change tightens the President’s reins over the ministry.
Manuel Valls was confirmed as Prime Minister again. Valls has been in the post since March 31, replacing Jean-Marc Ayrault.
The new government also includes the nation’s first female education minister, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem.
Laurent Fabius remains foreign minister and minister for international development, Michel Sapin remains minister of finance and public accounts, and Jean-Yves Le Drian remains defense minister.
Socialist leader Hollande said Monday that he wants the new government to be “a team that is coherent with the course that he himself has set for our country.”
Hollande has the worst approval ratings of any French President on record. Valls’ popularity, meanwhile, has shown a decline in recent opinion polls.
CNN’s Justin Hoffmann, Jim Bitterman, Jethro Mullen and Carol Jordan contributed to this report.
