New French PM chooses cabinet after Macron promotion

France's new Prime Minister Gabriel Attal was on Wednesday choosing his cabinet team after his stunning promotion by President Emmanuel Macron to become the youngest French head of government.

Attal, 34, will look along with Macron to choose a heavyweight cabinet that can take on the far-right under Marine Le Pen in June European elections and beyond. He will also want to dispell any doubts he is too young for the job.

Macron named Attal, who is also France's first openly gay premier, on Tuesday to replace Elisabeth Borne, in a bid to recapture what the head of state termed the "spirit" of the president's own 2017 rise to power, when he himself was just 39.

His appointment was less than smooth, with Macron reportedly having to overcome objections from some cabinet ministers as well as key powerbrokers outside the cabinet.

The Le Monde daily said his nomination had been "disputed". Left-leaning Liberation's headline read "Macron prime minister", arguing that Attal would be left no room for manoeuvre by his mentor.

Attal himself hailed his appointment as a symbol of "audacity" as he took over from Borne, 62, during an official ceremony at the prime minister's Matignon residence in Paris on Tuesday. His hands shook on his papers amid the tension and cold.

But Francois Bayrou, a key ally of the president who leads the MoDem party allied to his ruling faction, raised his doubts in comments to the Le Parisien daily.

Bayrou said he had questioned if Attal "had the necessary experience to lead a country going through such profound difficulties".

CABINET UNCERTAINTY

Attal lunched with Macron at the Elysee to discuss the new government, which could be announced Thursday or at least by the end of the week, according to presidential sources.

Sources close to Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told AFP that the powerful 41-year-old had received assurances from Macron that he would stay in his post.

Darmanin had reportedly been none too pleased over the prospect of the even younger Attal taking the helm of government.

But in a show of unity clearly aimed at stressing that there was no rift, the pair carried out a joint visit to a police station outside Paris on Wednesday.

There are question marks however over the post of foreign minister, currently held by former ambassador to the UK Catherine Colonna; and the future of Finance and Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire, the only top minister to have been in office since Macron's election in 2017.

Transport Minister Clement Beaune, who in a previous role as Europe minister was a key figure in Brexit negotiations, is also seen at being particularly at risk.

Beaune and other left-leaning figures in the centrist government made clear their displeasure over the final text of the immigration bill when it eventually passed, reportedly leaving Macron furious.

Attal will also need to find a replacement for his old job of education minister, a key government post, which he held for less than half a year.

And there were rumours of less conventional appointments, such as European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde as a possible foreign minister; and TV presenter and monarchy expert Stephane Bern as culture minister.

Under the French system, the president sets general policies while the prime minister is responsible for day-to-day management.

The prime minister can often pay the price in case of turbulence. Attal is already the fourth person to occupy the post in less than seven years into the Macron administration.

Commentators see the reshuffle as essential to relaunch Macron's centrist presidency for its last three years. The aim is to prevent him becoming a "lame duck" leader after his party lost its overall majority in 2022 legislative elections.

With Macron unable to run again in 2027, ministers have publicly aired concerns that Le Pen has her best chance yet to win the presidency.