PARIS: French Prime Minister Michel Barnier sought to end months of political gridlock on Thursday by presenting President Emmanuel Macron with a proposal for a new cabinet that will include new faces in most key state offices. While there didn’t appear to be any big surprises or big names joining the cabinet, it did seem to mark a shift to the right from the previous more centrist government. Barnier is proposing European minister Jean-Noel Barrot as foreign minister, a source close to Macron’s political faction, who asked not to be named, told AFP. The move would be a big promotion for the 41-year-old, whose slick media appearances have impressed observers, but he would face the challenge of bolstering France’s presence on the international stage. Meanwhile, Bruno Retailleau, who heads the right-wing The Republicans (LR) faction in the upper chamber of the French Senate, is set to take charge of the interior ministry, according to several sources who spoke to AFP. Landing the Home Office, which oversees the police and homeland security, would be seen as a major success by the right. One of the key people said to be staying is Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu, who is believed to have a close and trusted relationship with Macron. Barnier was at the Elysee Palace late Thursday to discuss the nominations with Macron. The meeting ended around 20:45 (1845 GMT), according to an AFP reporter at the scene. It was not immediately clear when the full list would be officially announced to the public, though it seemed likely that Friday would be soon. The government is “prepared to act in the service of the French people” on the list, the prime minister’s office said. Macron could try to veto Barnier’s proposals, but at this stage that would cause huge tensions with his prime minister. France has been gripped by political gridlock, both during and outside the Olympics, as snap parliamentary elections in July left it in limbo. Barnier, the European Union’s former chief Brexit negotiator and a right-winger, was appointed by Macron this month in a bid to break the deadlock. After two weeks of consultations, advisers said on Thursday they were in the “home phase” of their bid to form a new cabinet. Key posts were left vacant, with Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire stepping down after taking over from Macron in 2017 and Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne, whom Macron named as France’s new EU commissioner. Barnier told right-wing and centrist groups at a meeting on Thursday afternoon that he was considering a line-up of 16 prime ministers including both of their political families, politicians who were interviewed told AFP. Gabriel Attal, his predecessor and now parliamentary leader of Macron’s Renaissance party, was at the meeting and told allies the list included 10 names from their centrist alliance. The 73-year-old prime minister has faced a number of challenges since taking office. There were reports of a tense lunch between him and Macron on Tuesday and a second meeting on Wednesday. The Prime Minister warned on Wednesday that France’s budgetary situation is “very serious”. Before Barnier was elected prime minister, France launched a formal procedure for breaching EU budget rules. France’s central bank warned this week that a projected return to EU deficit rules by 2027 was “not realistic”. Macron had hoped to reassert his relative majority in parliament by calling elections in late June and early July, but the plan failed. The Left Alliance won the most seats in the lower house of the National Assembly, but does not have a working majority. Macron’s centrist faction is now the second largest bloc. The far right is third, but the anti-immigration National Assembly emerged from the election as the single largest party. Prior to Barnier’s appointment, Macron rejected the leftist alliance’s candidate for prime minister, Lucia Castets.
