Mixed reactions to France's new government: Is change truly here? Public outcry rising

France has officially approved the new composition of its government after several weeks of intense consultations.

The list of ministers was announced by Alexis Kohler, head of the French President's administration, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Jean-Noël Barrot from the Democratic Movement party has been appointed as the new foreign minister, succeeding Stéphane Séjournet of the presidential party "Renaissance."

Séjournet has been nominated by President Emmanuel Macron for the position of Vice-President of the European Commission, where he will oversee prosperity and industrial strategy within the EU.

Sébastien Lecornu will continue in his role as Minister of the French Armed Forces. French media note that the positions of Minister of Defence and Minister of Foreign Affairs are typically reserved for candidates proposed by the president.

In Paris, thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets to protest the new government under Prime Minister Michel Barnier. This marks the second anti-government protest since Barnier’s appointment, with many expressing discontent over what they view as an overly "right-wing" cabinet, especially given the recent electoral success of a left-wing coalition. Protesters have focused on the candidate for Interior Minister, Bruno Retaillot, accusing him of racism and homophobia.

The rally was organized by the party "Unconquered France," which has also introduced a resolution to impeach Macron in the National Assembly, alongside support from student unions and various activist organizations. One protester expressed frustration, stating, “I am here because this is not what we cast our votes for. The prime minister represents a party that hardly got any votes in the election. I'm furious: what's the point of voting then?”

Between 20,000 and 40,000 protesters are expected in Paris today, September 22. At a previous protest on September 7, the French Interior Ministry reported 26,000 attendees, while ‘Unconquered France’ claimed the number was as high as 160,000.

Marine Le Pen, head of the parliamentary faction "National Unity," described the new government as "transitional" and out of touch with the expectations of the French people. She stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the French, who expressed a desire for change in the last election, now face a government far removed from their wishes. Le Pen emphasized that this government was formed through ‘unnatural alliances’ from the early parliamentary elections, adding, “We will continue to prepare for the big changes we are calling for to allow France to stand on its feet.” However, she did not address the possibility of a vote of confidence in the government.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, founder of the leftist party "France Insubordinate" argued that the new government lacked legitimacy and called for the early resignation of its members. He commented on X, “The cast of Macron's new catastrophe film has been revealed. This association has no legitimacy or future. We must get rid of it as soon as possible.”

Fabien Roussel, leader of the French Communist Party, remarked on X that the new government is merely a reorganization of the previous one, criticizing the media narrative about disagreements between Barnier and Macron as a façade of "collaboration" rather than "coexistence." He concluded, “So let's turn the page rather.”

Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure characterized the new government as a “reactionary” move against democracy, calling for a debate on a vote of confidence in the administration.

By Tamilla Hasanova