A new era of "unity and renewal" for French politics after new PM appointed

Record ID: 876253

  • Title: A new era of "unity and renewal" for French politics after new PM appointed
  • Date: 16th May 2017
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MAY 16, 2017) (REUTERS) METRO SIGN PEOPLE WALKING OUT OF METRO ENTRANCE WOMEN TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (French) 30-YEAR-OLD CLERC, ALEXIS OZOUF, SAYING: "So it means the right-wing is finding itself a bit paralyzed because they are telling themselves that we have a prime minister that is a member of our movement, should we be joining Emmanuel Macron or should we oppose him? So it's really well played by Emmanuel Macron even if I do not support at all this candidate, I mean this new president." PEOPLE WALKING IN STREET (SOUNDBITE) (French) MARKETING MANAGER, LOUIS JAUNEAU, SAYING: "I think that it's good to have an opening up. We are currently, everyone has been constantly repeating that 'we need to break the system', and now we are seeing a new system emerging and that's what I appreciate in Macron's politics. And I find it interesting to have this opening, I hope this will continue on this path." VARIOUS PEOPLE WALKING OUT METRO ENTRANCE (SOUNDBITE) (French) 44-YEAR-OLD ALAIN ABRAHAM, SAYING: "And we can see that already, two to three months ago, all the traditional politicians rallied around him (Emmanuel Macron). Is he not bogged down with a lot of people who change their opinion with the direction of the wind? I feel like it tarnishes his image and the conviction of the movement he says he is launching." PEOPLE WALKING IN STREET
  • Embargoed: 30th May 2017 09:37
  • Keywords: Francois Baroin Richard Ferrand reaction France Edouard Philippe Emmanuel Macron
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • City: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA0056H3866F
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: French politicians as well as ordinary voters hope for a new era of "unity and renewal" after President Emmanuel Macron's appointment of French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, a conservative expected to provide a counterweight to the Socialist Party legislators who have defected to Macron's Republic on the Move (REM).
    Secretary-general of REM, Richard Ferrand, told French media on Tuesday (May 16) he is convinced the new PM will help "get over old divisions" and that it was a logical move to appoint a right-wing prime minister.
    Alain Abraham, 44, told Reuters TV he believes this move tarnishes "his image and the conviction of the movement. Another passerby said he found the "opening up" under Macron good for the country.
    The head of France's main conservative party The Republicans disowned his colleague Edouard Philippe on Tuesday (May 16) for taking up the job of prime minister under Macron.
    Philippe, 46, is from the moderate wing of the main centre-right The Republicans, which poses a bigger threat than any other to Macron's ability to form a legislative majority in June's parliamentary election and avoid a potentially reform-slowing coalition.
    The choice of the trained lawyer and mayor of the port city of Le Havre is part of a strategy to undermine the foundations of France's traditional political groupings and transform Macron's REM from a year-old political start-up into the dominant force in French politics.
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