Global

Macron names Castex new prime minister

July 3, 2020

French government "deconfinement" coordinator Jean Castex leaves after a videoconference with the French President and French mayors at the Elysee Palace in Paris after the country began a gradual end to the nationwide lockdown following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in France, Tuesday May 19, 2020. (Gonzalo Fuentes/Pool via AP)

BY AFP

President Emmanuel Macron on Friday named senior French civil servant Jean Castex, who drew up the policy for easing the coronavirus lockdown, as his new prime minister as part of a government reshuffle.

“The president of the Republic has named Jean Castex as prime minister and mandated him to form a government,” the presidency said in a brief statement.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and his entire government resigned Friday as Macron’s ruling party reels from dire local election results and the president prepare to tackle the economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.