France's new government announced

The formation of the new French government to be headed by conservative lawmaker Edouard Philippe, appointed Monday after Emmanuel Macron was sworn in as France's new president, was announced Wednesday by the president's office.

In his first cabinet line-up, the new head of state mixed profiles unknown to the public with others coming from the political mainstream to end decades of right-left divide.

Socialist veteran Gerard Collomb, who is mayor of Lyon, was named as interior minister, while centrist politician Francois Bayrou was appointed to take the charge of the justice portfolio. The two men were supporters of Macron during his election campaign.

From the outgoing Socialist government, Jean-Yves Le Drian, ex-defense minister and a close ally of former president Francois Hollande was the sole survivor. He took the position of leading European and foreign affairs.

From the right-wing, Bruno Le Maire, a pro-European, was picked as economy minister. Nicolas Hulot, an ecologist activist, was named as ecology minister.

Several women are in the list, which includes 18 ministers and four junior ministers. It's a fulfillment of Macron's campaign promise to deliver on gender parity.

On the list was Sylvie Goulard, a centrist EU lawmaker, in charge of defense affairs, Agnes Buzyn, solidarity and health minister and Muriel Penicaud, the minister in charge of managing the thorny employment issue.

Wednesday's cabinet could be changed depending on parliamentary election results next month that will decide whether it would be necessary to form a coalition to implement the president's reforms.

The new cabinet is scheduled to hold its first meeting on Thursday morning. Endit