France's new prime minister unveils cabinet with several familiar faces

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal named his cabinet on Thursday, two days after he was appointed to lead France's government. One surprise was the appointment of Rachida Dati – a key figure in Nicolas Sarkozy's conservative government – as culture minister. Others held on to key positions in security, justice and finance.

Gabriel Attal, formerly France's minister of education, attends a cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris on 21 July 2023. © AP / Christophe Ena

The new line-up was announced after Attal went to the Elysée Palace for talks with President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday afternoon.

Dati, who was justice minister from 2007 to 2009 under former president Sarkozy, makes a markedly more conservative replacement for outgoing culture minister Rima Abdul Malak.

Leftwing Abdul Malak had publicly diverged from Macron on several issues, notably recent  immigration reforms and accusations of sexual assault against actor Gérard Depardieu. 

A member of the rightwing Republicans party and district mayor of Paris's 7th arrondissement, Dati has been under investigation since July 2021 for corruption and influence peddling over her dealings with disgraced former Renault chief Carlos Ghosn.

Rachida Dati delivers a speech during the Republicains party general assembly at Le Cirque d'Hiver in Paris on June 17, 2023. © Ludovic Marin / AFP

Unchanged posts

As was widely expected, tough-talking Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin remains in post.

Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, seen as a safe pair of hands after seven years in the job, also keeps his position. 

Two other key portfolios stay with the same ministers: Eric Dupond-Moretti is still justice minister and Sébastien Lecornu remains minister of defence.

Among the few changes announced so far, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra takes over from Attal as education minister. She nonetheless keeps her existing portfolio as minister of sports, giving her a new "super-ministry" in the year that Paris prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

Meanwhile Prisca Thévenot – formerly secretary of state for youth and said to be a favourite of Attal – becomes the government spokesperson. She replaces Olivier Véran in the front-facing role.

France's government was last rejigged in July, when Attal was promoted from budget minister and government spokesperson to minister for education.

Read also:

• Gabriel Attal named youngest French PM as Macron seeks to refresh presidency
• Who is France's youngest ever prime minister Gabriel Attal?