President Emmanuel Macron named Jean Castex as his new prime minister on Friday, seeking to refashion his presidency as France emerges from the coronavirus crisis.
FILE PHOTO: 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 outbreak in France, May 19, 2020. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/Pool** Castex, 55, coordinated the easing of France’s coronavirus lockdown, earning the nickname ‘Monsieur Deconfinement’.
That could help Macron reconnect with voters after the yellow-vest protests exposed his unpopularity with disenchanted parts of rural and suburban France. ** Castex served as then president Nicolas Sarkozy’s adviser for social affairs - a job that entailed negotiating with French unions - before going on to become one of the top technocrats in Sarkozy’s administration.** Castex’s chief of staff will be Nicolas Revel, who is close to Macron, an appointment that shows the president will want to keep a tight grip on his new prime minister.
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