France President Emmanuel Macron replaced a cabinet minister accused of rape and the subject of an investigation on Monday (July 4). The cabinet overhaul comes after the ruling alliance lost its legislative majority in elections. The last reorganization took place only one and a half months ago. Foreign, finance, and defence ministries have stayed constant this time, while other high-profile roles have changed.
After the charges against Damien Abad, who has denied any misconduct, in a controversy that has humiliated the government, French Red Cross head Jean-Christophe Combe was named the new solidarity and social cohesion minister. Macron’s action astonished everyone. He has appointed Laurence Boone, the top economist of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), as the next Europe minister, succeeding Clement Beaune, who had played a crucial role in Brexit discussions with the UK.
Another significant shift was the appointment of Christophe Bechu, mayor of Angers in the Loire Valley and a close supporter of former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, as Environment Minister. He takes the place of Macron supporter Amelie de Montchalin, who lost her seat in the legislative elections and has stepped down.
Macron’s governing coalition gained the most seats in the June 19 legislative elections. It did, however, lose the majority. It will now have to form alliances in order to pass legislation through parliament. The result was viewed as a significant blow for the president, who was elected to a second term in May after beating far-right leader Marine Le Pen.
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