Free Republic

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...