FRANCE: FRANCE'S NEW CABINET GATHERS AT THE ELYSEE PALACE FOR THEIR FIRST COUNCIL MEETING

Record ID: 646135

  • Title: FRANCE: FRANCE'S NEW CABINET GATHERS AT THE ELYSEE PALACE FOR THEIR FIRST COUNCIL MEETING
  • Date: 8th November 1995
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (NOVEMBER 8, 1995) (RTV (W) - ACCESS ALL) 1. SV EXTERIOR OF ELYSEE PALACE 0.05 2. SV FRENCH PRIME MINISTER ALAIN JUPPE ARRIVING WITH SPORTS MINISTER GUY DRUT 0.18 3. SV MINISTER OF EDUCATION FRANCOIS BAYROU (UDF-CDS) ARRIVING 0.25 4. SV MINISTER OF INDUSTRY, POST AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS FRANCK BOROTRA (RPR) ARRIVING ALONGSIDE ALAIN LAMASSOURE (UDF), BUDGET MINISTER 0.39 5. SV MINISTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION DOMINIQUE PERBEN (RPR) ARRIVING 0.43 6. SV MINISTER OF CITY INTEGRATION JEAN-CLAUDE GAUDIN (UDF) ARRIVING 1.04 7. SV MINISTER OF INTERIOR JEAN LOUIS DEBRE (RPR)ARRIVING WITH (ON LEFT) ERIC RAOULT (RPR) MINISTER OF URBAN PLANNING 1.28 8. SV MINISTER OF JUSTICE JACQUES TOUBON (RPR) ARRIVING 1.28 9. SV MINISTER OF CULTURE PHILIPPE DOUSTE-BLAZY (UDF-CDS) ARRIVES AND WALKS IN 1.33 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 23rd November 1995 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • City:
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVAA0YQQ43W3WYXCJQ9VRFJBEL09
  • Story Text: France's streamlined cabinet gathered at the Elysee palace in Paris on Wednesday (November 8) for their first Council of Ministers meeting, gearing up for a tough round of spending cuts and unpopular reforms of the welfare system.

    Prime Minister Alain Juppe, who kept his job in a surprise reshuffle ordered by President Jacques Chirac, acknowledged hard times lay ahead for his tighter team of 33.

    He said the government would focus on curbing the budget deficit and, particularly, on reforming the welfare system after Chirac's turnabout from campaign pledges to cut taxes and fight near-record unemployment.

    "It is difficult, it is unpopular, I know. But it is necessary...I know it is going to work," a stern Juppe said in a televised statement shortly after the new cabinet was announced.

    He said he would bring in reforms which will eventually lead to interest rate cuts, boost growth and later reduce taxes.

    The reshuffle was announced dramatically, as parliament was debating the 1996 budget, with Juppe presenting the resignation of the whole government to Chirac.

    The move ended the shortest-lived cabinet in the 37-year history of the Fifth Republic less than six months after it was appointed in the wake of Chirac's election, but it affected minor portfolios.

    Amongst the new faces who arrived at the Wednesday meeting were Jean Claude Gaudin, Territory, Towns and Integration minister and Jacques Barrot, head of the new "super-ministry" of Work and Social Affairs. Ministers who survived the reshuffle were also present including Defense Minister Charles Millon, Foreign Minister Herve de Charette, Finance Minister Jean Arthuis, Minister of Equipment, Housing, Transport and Tourism Bernard Pons, Culture Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy, Justice Minister Jacques Toubon and Overseas minister Jean Jacques de Peretti.


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