Macron to unveil new French government on Friday afternoon
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes a guest at the Elysee Palace, Paris, France, May 16, 2022. (Reuters Photo)


French President Emmanuel Macron's new government will be revealed on Friday afternoon with a first meeting of the new cabinet slated for Monday, the French Presidency announced.

The announcement came four days after Elisabeth Borne, the outgoing labor minister, was named as prime minister, becoming the first woman to head the French government in more than 30 years.

The government reshuffle was widely expected following Macron's reelection in April and ahead of legislative elections next month.

Centrist Macron will need a legislative majority to push through his domestic agenda following his reelection, with a new left-wing alliance and the far-right threatening to block his program.

The last woman to serve as premier, Edith Cresson, briefly headed the cabinet from May 1991 to April 1992 under President Francois Mitterrand.

Borne, 61, is seen as an able technocrat who can negotiate prudently with unions, as the president embarks on a new package of social reforms that include a rise in the retirement age which risks sparking protests.

Macron's second term had formally started on May 14. Macron was inaugurated for a second term after being reelected on April 24 in a runoff that saw him beat out far-right rival Marine Le Pen, vowing to first take action to avoid any further escalation of Russia’s war in Ukraine before going on to focus on promoting France and Europe on the world stage.