France's new right-leaning government held its first meeting early on Monday, with Prime Minister Michel Barnier presiding over a working breakfast before a first official cabinet meeting at the Élysée Palace later in the day. Incoming Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said that his priority would be to "restore order" as he took the reins of his ministry.
The long wait for the new French government – 11 weeks after a snap election called by President Emmanuel Macron – ended on Saturday when a new team was announced that marks a shift to the right.
Macron angered many by unveiling a right-leaning government, despite the leftist New Popular Front alliance winning more seats than any other coalition in the June-July legislative vote. The leftist opposition has already said it will hold a no-confidence motion in parliament at its earliest opportunity.
Prime Minister Michel Barnier urged those in his freshly appointed cabinet to be "beyond reproach and modest" as they take up their portfolios and to "show respect for all our fellow citizens" as they met for the first time.
Incoming Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, for his part, said that his priority would be to "restore order" as he took control of the interior ministry.
"The French people want more order – order in the streets, order at the borders," Retailleau, a conservative senator known for his hard-right views who has also called for a tougher stance on immigration, said in his first public statements.
Barnier's 39 ministers draw parliamentary support mostly from Macron's allies as well the conservative Les Républicains and centrist groups.
Opponents have criticised the new cabinet's conservative imprint, with Socialist Party chairman Olivier Faure calling it the "most right-wing government of the Fifth Republic".
Barnier, formerly the EU's Brexit negotiator, opened the door on Sunday to raising taxes on France's wealthiest individuals and some big corporations to help close a gaping hole in public finances while promising to protect the lower and middle classes.
Read moreA look at key ministers in France's new government line-up
"I'm not going to further increase taxes on all French people, neither on the most modest, nor on people who work, nor on the middle classes. But I cannot exclude the wealthiest from the national effort to rectify the situation," Barnier told France 2 television.
France's total debt stands at 110% of GDP, or close to €3.2 trillion. Weaker-than-expected tax revenues and higher spending by local governments has left its public sector budget deficit spiralling towards 6.2% of economic output next year if nothing is done to rein it in.
It is in breach of European Union deficit rules and credit rating agencies are scrutinising French decision-making carefully. "A large part of our debt has been placed on international and foreign markets. We have to maintain France's credibility," Barnier said.
Barnier also vowed to “control and limit immigration" in Sunday's interview. He said the numbers of migrants coming to France “has become unbearable”. He referred to measures taken by neighbouring countries like Germany, which this month ordered temporary controls at all land borders.
Read moreFrance's PM Barnier appoints new government in shift to right
Faure said his Socialists Party is planning to bring a no-confidence vote on October 1 after Barnier's general policy speech to parliament scheduled for that day.
But he acknowledged that "it will probably fail" in the absence of support from the far-right National Rally, which has said it will wait before making any move against the government.
Barnier on Monday rejected the criticism from the left, insisting his ministerial lineup was "progressive and pro-European".
Macron will preside over the new cabinet's first official meeting later on Monday.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)
