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2nd LD Writethru: Conservative lawmaker Philippe named as France's new PM

Xinhua, May 15, 2017 Adjust font size:

France's new President Emmanuel Macron appointed Edouard Philippe on Monday as prime minister, announced Alexis Kohler, the president's secretary-general.

The appointment came after the 39-year-old head of state was sworn in at the Elysee Palace on Sunday.

Philippe, 46, is currently mayor of the northwestern French city of Le Havre and a conservative lawmaker since 2010 and will take over from Socialist Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve who resigned on May 10 to pave the way for the newcomer.

He was the spokesman of moderate Alain Juppe during the right-center primary in November last year before joining the campaign of Republicans nominee Francois Fillon for the presidency race.

Born in Rouen in northern France to a left-wing family, Philippe started his political life as a Socialist member when he was a student before switching to the right.

Philippe has a diploma from the ENA, a prestigious political university in France. He worked as public affairs director for the state nuclear group Areva between 2007 and 2010.

It is the first time in France's modern history that a president has named a prime minister from outside his party without being forced to by a defeat in a legislative contest, a political move that may help Macron win a majority in the upcoming parliamentary election to implement his economic and social roadmap.

"If the prime minister comes from the right, Emmanuel Macron will be able to attack the parliamentary elections by dynamiting the right, in the same way he has done to the left," political expert Philippe Moreau-Chevrolet was quoted as saying by France24.

Furthermore, by picking a young modernizer for the prime ministerial role, the new head of state, who pledged to turn the page of the right-left ruling era, sent a strong sign of political renewal that he has bet on in order to reunite divided French citizens and make France stronger, analysts said.

In France, the prime minister leads all other government ministries, oversees domestic affairs, and is second only to the president in importance.

The new government will be formed on Wednesday, according to the Elysee. Endit