France’s reappointed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has announced a new Cabinet of 34 ministers, tasked with producing a national budget before the end of the year amid mounting political and economic pressures.
The Cabinet, slightly smaller than the previous 36-member government under former Prime Minister François Bayrou, includes a mix of experienced officials, centrist allies of President Emmanuel Macron, conservatives, and some figures from outside the political sphere.
Key appointments include Laurent Nunez as interior minister, overseeing national security; Catherine Vautrin as defence minister, responsible for military support for Ukraine and European security; and Roland Lescure as finance minister, charged with tackling rising debt and poverty. Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, and Culture Minister Rachida Dati retain their positions.
Lecornu, 39, is Macron’s fourth prime minister in a year and a close ally of the president. He faces an immediate challenge: securing parliamentary support in a deeply fractured National Assembly, where centrist, far-right, and far-left factions hold significant influence. Opposition parties, including Marine Le Pen’s National Rally and Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s France Unbowed, are pressing for new elections or Macron’s resignation, while key conservative allies have expressed discontent, expelling six party members who joined the Cabinet.
The new government follows a period of intense political uncertainty. Lecornu initially formed a Cabinet last week but resigned hours later after a coalition protest, before being reappointed by Macron. He has acknowledged the difficulties of governing a country divided over pension reforms and other contentious policies.
President Macron’s controversial pension reform, which gradually raises the retirement age from 62 to 64, remains a flashpoint. Opposition parties are demanding its repeal, adding to the pressure on Lecornu’s new Cabinet.
The government’s first Cabinet meeting is expected on Tuesday. Barrot will accompany Macron to Egypt on Monday for an international ceremony marking the Gaza ceasefire, signalling France’s continued engagement in global affairs despite domestic instability.
With an urgent budget to deliver and deep political divisions to navigate, Lecornu’s new government faces a critical test in maintaining stability and reassuring businesses, investors, and international partners.
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More than 1,000 firefighters are battling to contain two major wildfires in northern Japan for a fourth consecutive day, as flames advance towards residential areas and force thousands to flee.
Iran says no U.S. meeting is planned in Islamabad, despite Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arriving in the Pakistani capital. He is also set to visit Muscat and Moscow for regional consultations.
Residents in central Gaza are preparing to vote in municipal elections on Saturday (25 April), marking the first ballot in the Strip since 2006. The vote in Deir al-Balah is being watched closely as a rare indication of public sentiment, including towards Hamas.
Militants have staged coordinated attacks in Mali’s capital, Bamako, and several locations across the country, the army said on Saturday (25 April), in an assault apparently involving jihadist and Tuareg-led groups.
Diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war are intensifying, with the White House confirming that U.S. President Donald Trump will send special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner to Islamabad for talks with Iran under Pakistani mediation.
Argentina has reiterated its interest in resuming talks with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South Atlantic, after reports that an internal Pentagon email suggested reviewing Washington’s support for the UK’s claim amid tensions over the Iran war.
Russian emergency services have contained a major fire at the Tuapse oil refinery on the Black Sea coast, local officials said on Thursday, ending a four-day effort after a Ukrainian drone strike.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Azerbaijan for talks with President Ilham Aliyev, holding meetings in Gabala on Saturday (25 April) during a working visit to the country.
Slovenia’s national broadcaster RTV Slovenia has confirmed it will not air the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, joining a widening boycott over Israel’s participation.
More than 1,000 firefighters are battling to contain two major wildfires in northern Japan for a fourth consecutive day, as flames advance towards residential areas and force thousands to flee.
Militants have staged coordinated attacks in Mali’s capital, Bamako, and several locations across the country, the army said on Saturday (25 April), in an assault apparently involving jihadist and Tuareg-led groups.
Two men were killed after the United States carried out a missile strike on a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Friday (24 April), the military said.
Argentina has reiterated its interest in resuming talks with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South Atlantic, after reports that an internal Pentagon email suggested reviewing Washington’s support for the UK’s claim amid tensions over the Iran war.
China has urged the European Union to take its concerns seriously over new cybersecurity and digital regulations, warning they could create difficulties for Chinese companies operating in Europe.
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