France’s new government announced with only one major change at the foreign ministry

PARIS (AP) — The new government of French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal was announced Thursday with only one major change at the foreign ministry, while most high-profile Cabinet members remained unchanged.

The interior, finance, defense and justice ministers remain in place, according to the French presidency’s statement. The members of the government were agreed upon by the 34-year-old Attal, who is France’s youngest-ever premier, and President Emmanuel Macron.

Stéphane Séjourné, 38, has been named as France’s foreign affairs minister, succeeding Catherine Colonna.

Séjourné is the head of Macron’s Renaissance party and the leader of the Renew Europe group of liberal, pro-European lawmakers at the European Parliament.

He also is Attal’s ex-partner. Attal, France’s first openly gay prime minister, made their relationship public when he first joined Macron’s government in 2018.

The two men never publicly confirmed their breakup, but in his October declaration to the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life, which compiles declarations by high-ranking officials to record potential conflicts of interest, Attal declared having no partner.

Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra keeps her job less than six months before the Paris Olympics, and also gets the education portfolio in addition — a role previously held by Attal.

The culture ministry goes to Rachida Dati, a member of conservative party The Republicans. Dati was a justice minister under conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Attal was appointed Tuesday as the head of the government, with President Emmanuel Macron seeks a fresh start for the rest of his term amid growing political pressure from the far right.

The Associated Press