New French government faces backlash from radical opposition

On Saturday evening in France, the composition of the new government was announced. It was formed two weeks after Michel Barnier was appointed Prime Minister and more than two months after the parliamentary elections. The Minister of Economy is Antoine Armand, and the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is Jean-Noel Barnot.

Sebastien Lecornu will remain Minister for the Armed Forces, while Bruno Retailleau will head the Ministry of the Interior.

As previously mentioned, the ministers come from the centre (President Emmanuel Macron's political camp) and the right-wing Republican party. The new government's first meeting will be on Monday.

“The new French government formed by Michel Barnier has no future,” stated Jordan Bardella, head of the far-right National Rally (RN). On the left, Jean-Luc Melenchon, head of the far-left Unbowed France (LFI), declared that this government "has no legitimacy."

Marine Le Pen, who remains the informal leader of the RN and the head of its parliamentary faction, wrote on social media that the government is "temporary" and that her party continues to count and will prepare for "major changes."