France's new Cabinet line-up to be revealed 'before Sunday': Premier's office

By Nur Asena Erturk

ANKARA (AA) — France's new Cabinet line-up is expected to be unveiled by Sunday, according to sources at the prime minister's office.

Prime Minister Michel Barnier on Thursday presented to President Emmanuel Macron the new government list he prepared after rounds of talks with political parties following his appointment on Sept. 5, broadcaster BFMTV said.

Barnier reportedly offered Macron a list of 16 full-fledged ministers and over 20 junior ministers in a meeting at the Elysee presidential palace.

The list will now be examined by the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life, an independent administrative institution that promotes public integrity in the country, also known as the HATVP.

In a statement, the prime minister's office described the meeting between Barnier and Macron as "constructive" and added that the government would be revealed "before Sunday," BFMTV added.

Barnier’s line-up may bring the country out of political deadlock that has spanned over 10 weeks.

France held snap parliamentary elections in two rounds on June 30 and July 7.

The political process was largely suspended in late July when the Olympic Games started.

After weeks of struggle and even severe divisions within, the victorious left-wing alliance New Popular Front (NFP) proposed Lucie Castets as the next prime minister on July 23.

President Macron, however, said he would not name a prime minister until the end of the games in mid-August, despite the effort.

Macron was also criticized for delaying the process and causing instability in the country by accepting Gabriel Attal’s resignation on July 16, after initially rejecting it on July 8 right after the second round.

The NFP, which won most seats in the lower house of France's National Assembly after the second round, claimed victory following the elections and has repeatedly said the next premier should come from the ranks of the left wing, an idea dismissed by Macron and his bloc.

The NFP, which could win more than 180 seats in the lower house of France’s National Assembly, claimed victory after the elections and has repeatedly said the next premier should come from the ranks of the left wing, an idea dismissed by Macron and his bloc.

Macron finally appointed Michel Barnier, a center-right politician, former European commissioner, and former foreign minister.

He handled the EU's long and difficult Brexit negotiations as the bloc's chief negotiator.

The National Assembly has 577 seats, and none of the three primary alliances was able to win an absolute majority of 289 lawmakers.

Macron dissolved parliament and announced early elections after the far-right National Rally (RN) won more than 31% of the vote in European Parliament elections on June 9, defeating his centrist bloc.