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France's Sarkozy keeps Fillon as PM in reshuffle
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France's Sarkozy keeps Fillon as PM in reshuffle
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By James Regan and Emmanuel Jarry
PARIS (Reuters) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy reappointed trusted ally Francois Fillon as prime minister on Sunday as he begins a ministerial reshuffle aimed at shoring up his position 18 months before a...
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French Prime Minister Francois Fillon
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France's President Nicolas Sarkozy (L) and Prime Minister Francois Fillon take part in Armistice Day ceremonies in Paris November 11, 2010.
Credit: Reuters/Miguel Medina/Pool
By James Regan and Emmanuel Jarry
PARIS |
Sun Nov 14, 2010 9:25am EST
PARIS (Reuters) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy reappointed trusted ally Francois Fillon as prime minister on Sunday as he begins a ministerial reshuffle aimed at shoring up his position 18 months before a presidential election.
Fillon, who has proved a steady and capable aide to Sarkozy since he took power in 2007, said he would focus on jobs and the economy. A new cabinet will be unveiled later on Sunday or on Monday morning, an official at Fillon's office said.
Sarkozy said in June he would rejig his cabinet after passing a flagship pension reform, which was signed into law last week. The reshuffle comes as he seeks to shore up his core support base, address voter gloom over the economy and improve his dismal ratings before the 2012 election.
Fillon, deep in talks with Sarkozy on Sunday at the Elysee presidential palace, said in a statement he was starting "a new phase with determination which will allow our country to strengthen the growth of the economy to help jobs, promote solidarity and safeguard the security of all French people."
After a brief flurry of speculation among commentators that Fillon might be replaced, it became clear in recent days that Sarkozy would reappoint the man behind the campaign that swept him to power over three years ago.
The new cabinet is expected to put proven heavyweights of the ruling center-right UMP party in charge of the key ministries, but not result in major change.
Government sources say former prime minister Alain Juppe, who remains popular among core conservative voters despite a fall from grace since his political career peaked in the 1990s, could be brought back as defense minister.
Currently mayor of the southwestern wine capital of Bordeaux, Juppe told France Info radio on Saturday that he could happily juggle his mayorship with a new cabinet post.
NEW CABINET, SAME COURSE
After Sarkozy stood firm through a series of strikes and protests to pass legislation to raise the retirement age by two years, speculation briefly flared that he might replace Fillon with Energy Minister Jean-Louis Borloo, whose man-of-the-people image might have improved relations with unions.
Sources close to Borloo said on Sunday he would be offered a big post in the new government, such as foreign minister or head of an economic or social ministry. "It's clear that the Elysee doesn't want him to go," one source said.
Christine Lagarde, whose mastery of financial matters and fluent English make her a shrewd choice to talk to markets, is expected to remain as economy minister or move to the foreign ministry while keeping a special brief to handle G20 affairs.
Sarkozy, who returned from a G20 summit in South Korea this weekend, has emerged victorious from his drawn-out battle with unions over pension reform but remains deeply unpopular with approval ratings below 30 percent. Fillon is more popular with the electorate and is widely seen as competent.
Dominique Paille, spokesman for the UMP party, told iTele television it was more important for the country to continue with reforms in the works than have a change in direction.
"Nicolas Sarkozy has not opted for a new course. He has said that the rest of his mandate, the 18 months that will run until spring 2012, would be dedicated to the pursuit of reforms," Paille said.
Opposition politicians criticized Sarkozy for distracting ministers from their jobs by taking months to decide on his reshuffle only to end up keeping the same prime minister.
(Additional reporting by Patrick Vignal, Yann Le Guernigou, Thierry Leveque and Laure Bretton; Editing by Catherine Bremer and Noah Barkin)
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