France unveils fresh government with budget battle looming

France unveiled a new government on Monday, comprised of former ministers and senior civil servants that Prime Minister Francois Bayrou will hope can oversee the passage of a 2025 budget and avoid a collapse that would deepen the country's crisis.

Eric Lombard, 66, the head of Caisse des Depots, the investment arm of the French government, became finance minister, working with Amélie de Montchalin as budget minister.

Conservative Bruno Retailleau remained interior minister. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu also remained in post.

Élisabeth Borne, who stepped down as prime minister in January, became education minister, while former interior minister Gerard Darmanin will lead the Justice Ministry.

Bayrou has struggled for almost 10 days to put together a government as he looks to stave off potential no-confidence votes from the far right and left.

He will need to begin work immediately on passing a 2025 budget bill after parliamentary pushback over the proposed legislation led to the toppling of his predecessor, former Prime Minister Michel Barnier.

The names were read out by President Emmanuel Macron's chief of staff Alexis Kohler.