In an effort to adapt to the changing political landscape in the wake of legislative elections in which his centrist alliance was unable to secure a majority in the parliament, French President Emmanuel Macron reorganised his Cabinet on Monday.
Six weeks after Elisabeth Borne was chosen by Macron to head a new government coalition at the start of the president's second term, there has been another government shift. The conditions that Macron and previous French presidents had established before the parliamentary vote somewhat contributed to its outcome: Only ministers who keep their seats will remain in government offices.
In a two-round vote last month, three of Macron's 15 ministers were not re-elected, and they were replaced on Monday. Christophe Bechu is the new environment minister and Francois Braun is in charge of health. Herve Berville is the secretary of state for the sea.
In addition, Jean-Christophe Combe, the former director general of the French Red Cross, has taken the place of Damien Abad, the minister of policies for the disabled who is being investigated for rape and sexual misconduct.
Later on Monday, the new cabinet is anticipated to hold its inaugural meeting.
Only a few days after Borne, the second woman to serve as prime minister in French history after Macron's reelection in April, announced the formation of her new administration on May 22, allegations of sexual assault against Abad surfaced.
The claims were particularly embarrassing for the president and the incoming prime minister, both of whom assert that they are supporters of women's rights and have vowed to have "zero tolerance" for sexual misbehaviour.
More than ten years ago, two ladies alleged that Abad had molested them. He vehemently refuted the allegations and asserted that they couldn't be true given his own physical impairment, which affects both his muscles and joints.
Although voters chose the far-right National Rally of Marine Le Pen and the leftist Nupes coalition over Macron's Together! alliance, which won the most seats in the National Assembly in the election last month, Together! fell 44 seats short of a majority in France's most powerful house of parliament.
His government can still rule since it has the most seats in the National Assembly, but only through negotiations with lawmakers.
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