FRANCE/FILE: President Nicolas Sarkozy reappoints Francois Fillon as Prime Minister and asks him to put forward a new government

Record ID: 858841

  • Title: FRANCE/FILE: President Nicolas Sarkozy reappoints Francois Fillon as Prime Minister and asks him to put forward a new government
  • Date: 15th November 2010
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (RECENT) (REUTERS) ENVIRONMENT MINISTER JEAN-LOUIS BORLOO (WITH GREEN TIE) EXITING PRESIDENTIAL PALACE FRENCH FINANCE MINISTER CHRISTINE LAGARDE FRENCH LABOUR MINISTER ERIC WOERTH EXITING PRESIDENTIAL PALACE DEFENCE MINISTER HERVE MORIN WALKING IN PRESIDENTIAL PALACE COURT YARD FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER BERNARD KOUCHNER PARIS, FRANCE (RECENT) (FRENCH POOL - NO ACCESS FRANCE) INTERIOR MINISTER BRICE HORTEFEUX ENTERING PRESIDENTIAL PALACE JUSTICE MINISTER MICHELE ALLIOT-MARIE ENTERING PRESIDENTIAL PALACE
  • Embargoed: 30th November 2010 12:00
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  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAEALT2DD6TYLSZMX9O6K1MQNA4
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  • Story Text: French President Nicolas Sarkozy reappointed Francois Fillon as prime minister on Sunday (November 14) after accepting the resignation of the government late on Saturday (November 13), according to a statement from Sarkozy's office.
    The statement said the president has asked the prime minister to put forward a new government.
    Fillon said in a statement he would move to a new phase of government focusing on economic growth.
    Victorious in his pension reform battle but deeply unpopular, Sarkozy could unveil as soon as Monday (November 15) a "play-it-safe" cabinet reshuffle aimed at galvanising his core conservative support base 18 months before a general election.
    Sarkozy is expected to stick with proven politicians and avoid major surprises when he switches a handful of ministers.
    After dangling the possibility that he could switch his prime minister for an earthy energy minister with better social credentials, Sarkozy held on to Fillon, a capable ally who opinion polls show is well liked by the ruling UMP party's centre-right support base.
    Sarkozy is now banking on giving his cabinet a second wind ahead of a 2012 election that will pit him against a resurgent left.
    Analysts say the no-risks reshuffle will also be aimed at keeping a solid team in place to run things while he is busy working on an ambitious overhaul of the international monetary system as France takes over the G20 presidency from next week.
    Fillon is also more highly regarded in opinion polls than Energy Minister Jean-Louis Borloo, whom Sarkozy briefly considered bringing in as a new prime minister to open social dialogue with unions.
    Christine Lagarde, whose articulate financial discourse in fluent English has made her an ambassador for France in global financial markets, could stay as economy minister or move to the foreign ministry with a special brief to handle G20 affairs.
    Other ministers who are reported by several French media to be on their way out are Labour Minister Eric Woerth, whose name is linked to a political favours scandal involving France's richest woman, and Foreign Affairs Minister Bernard Kouchner, a Socialist whom Sarkozy picked as a gesture of openness after he was elected in 2007.
    Sarkozy may seek to please old-school conservatives by bringing back Alain Juppe, a heavyweight former prime minister under President Jacques Chirac, as head of a key ministry such as defence, replacing the current Defence Minister, centrist Herve Morin, according to people close to the president.
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