French PM tells new minority government to ‘respect all citizens’

PARIS: French Prime Minister Michel Barnier on Monday urged his cabinet to “show respect for all our fellow citizens” as his freshly-appointed government went to work, backed by only a minority in parliament.

A long wait for the new French government -- 11 weeks after a snap election called by President Emmanuel Macron -- ended Saturday when the new team was announced, marking a clear shift to the right.

In the July vote a bloc of leftist parties, the New Popular Front (NPF) came first, but failed to persuade Macron that they could form a government with any staying power. Instead, the president turned to veteran conservative Barnier to head up the new government which has the support of Macron allies, some conservatives and centrists in the National Assembly, but no majority -- which makes it vulnerable to being toppled in a no-confidence motion. Its critics say that the government lacks legitimacy, failing to reflect the election outcome.

Faced with this reproach, Barnier urged his ministers to “show respect for all our fellow citizens and all political parties and listen to everybody”. At a breakfast gathering on Monday ahead of the cabinet´s first formal meeting, Barnier also asked his team to be “beyond reproach and modest” as they take up their portfolios, an official from the prime minister´s office told AFP.