Macron names Philippe as France’s PM

(Paris) – Edouard Philippe, mayor of the port city of Le Havre, was named France’s new prime minister, charged with putting into action the economic reforms of the newly inaugurated President Emmanuel Macron.

The first major announcement of Macron’s 24-hour-old presidency was made by Alexis Kohler, the president’s chief of staff. Philippe, who’s also a member of parliament, will now be tasked with selecting his ministers ahead of the first cabinet meeting Wednesday.

“I’m a man of the right,” Philippe said at a ceremony Monday as he took over from his predecessor, Socialist Bernard Cazeneuve.

The 46-year-old Philippe, relatively unknown in France, is a member of the Republicans party and initially supported Alain Juppe in the French presidential campaign. By picking Philippe, Macron, a former minister in Socialist Francois Hollande’s government, is looking to broaden his appeal ahead of the legislative elections in June.