Sarkozy Appoints a More Rightist Cabinet in Reshuffle

The New York Times ^ | November 14, 2010 | STEVEN ERLANGER

[Cincinna]

President Nicolas Sarkozy reappointed François Fillon the country’s prime minister and named a new, more rightist cabinet on Sunday, a day after Mr. Fillon and the previous government resigned.

A steady presence popular in the party, Mr. Fillon spent the day in conversations and negotiations on the new cabinet, which was announced on Sunday night, although the choices were ultimately Mr. Sarkozy’s.

With Mr. Sarkozy’s poll ratings at record lows 18 months before the next presidential election, the cabinet reshuffle is intended to re-energize and reunite the governing center-right party, to put together a more politically coherent group that can push through budget cuts and other changes.

Mr. Sarkozy’s initial “opening” to the left, which saw him bringing prominent Socialists like Bernard Kouchner and Fadéla Amara into government, appears to be over. Instead, Mr. Sarkozy brought in some prominent supporters of his predecessor, Jacques Chirac, including Alain Juppé, a former prime minister, as defense minister. He also named more women to cabinet posts.

Mr. Sarkozy won in 2007 by uniting the right around him. He is known to be worried now about a growing level of support for the National Front to his right, which could damage his 2012 re-election prospects if the opposition Socialists united around a credible presidential candidate.

Last summer Mr. Sarkozy showed a clear rightward shift in government policies, especially on law and order, and on immigration.

Mr. Sarkozy also won a major victory by pushing through a change in the pension law that showed voters and the financial markets that he would make difficult and unpopular decisions in an effort to reduce government deficits.

Mr. Kouchner will leave his post as foreign minister, a job that he said both pleased and frustrated him, and will be replaced by the experienced former justice minister, Michèle Alliot-Marie,

[Cincinna]

*** FRENCH POLITICS AND CULTURE PING LIST *** FREEPMAIL ME IF YOU WANT TO JOIN ***

The inclusion of close ally, Mayor of Bordeaux and former Prime Minister under Jacques Chirac, Alain Juppe, is a sure signal that Sarko is veering towards his natural inclinations on the Gaullist Right.

Juppe is a strong figure on the right, very bright and capable, and extremely popular. For more info, check out his bio at Wikipedia.

ALAIN JUPPE

[aimee5291]

Thanks for posting...should prove to be interesting..

[EDINVA]

I am still trying to wrap my mind around the USA going so far left and France and Germany veering right. Whodathunkit?

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

There was an interesting mano a mano between Fillon and the ecology minister with the bad hairdo (forget his name) that Sarkozy sort of aided and abetted (he likes to see his underlings infighting) but it looks like Fillon carried the day. At one point things got pretty nasty between Fillon and the other guy. I assume Fillon is more centrist but not 100% sure.

[JackTom]

That other guy was Jean-Louis Borloo. At one point he was considered a candidate to replace Fillon as Prime Minister. But following this week reshuffle he is out of the government. And indeed Fillon is considered significantly more conservative than Borloo.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Right Borloo - thanks JackTom. One gets the sense that Sarko enjoys the gamesmanship and having the underlings snipe a bit at each other. I have no problem with that.

[nctexan]

Continue to steer to la droite.

[johnthebaptistmoore]

If only the Obama administration would become very conservative, for the remainder of Obama’s first term (and, hopefully, last term).

[Cincinna]

Thanks for the comment.I think you are talking about Borloo whose blind ambitionto replace Fillon as PM was nevergoing to happen.bolo is a
A centrist and the wildly popular Fillon is conservative UMP

[SunkenCiv]

That’s excellent! The rioters who rioted over the two year increase in the retirement age watched as the the French parliament passed it anyway — now Sarkozy’s making his cabinet even less to their liking, as if to say, “you want a little more, just c’mon back.” :’D I love that man. Thanks Cincinna.

[Cincinna]

Let’s hope Sarko can keep his act and his government togather. OTOH, the Left is in total disarray and has no one except the usual suspects. Sarko is playing his strong suit, national security, austerity, downsizing the emtitlements, immigration.

You can’t beat something with nothing.