French president Emmanuel Macron appointed a former Green lawmaker as his new environment minister on Tuesday, hoping to inject new life into his rattled administration after a summer of problems and before another round of reforms, reports Reuters.
Macron was forced into the move after Nicolas Hulot, a popular eco-campaigner, resigned live on radio last week over what he felt were hollow commitments on environmental policy.
The nomination of François de Rugy to replace him reflected Macron’s desire to give the sensitive portfolio, which includes energy, to a thick-skinned career politician with experience balancing ideals with political realities, energy analysts said.
The 40-year-old president also named Roxana Maracineanu as sports minister to replace former Olympic fencing champion Laura Flessel, who said she was quitting for personal reasons. Maracineanu is an Olympic swimming silver medalist.
Hulot’s resignation was a blow for Macron, who is still reeling from a bodyguard scandal in July just as he prepares to embark on reforms to cut public sector jobs, tame the budget deficit and streamline the pension system.
For much of Macron’s first year in power, the former investment banker appeared untouchable, self-assured and unphased by his falling popularity as he pushed through investor-friendly reforms with business-like efficiency.
Recently, however, Macron has looked more vulnerable.
Economic growth is slower than forecast, undermining his deficit-busting credentials. Unemployment is no longer coming down. Usually decisive, Macron is wavering on an impending tax collection reform. Meanwhile, voters are growing impatient with his monarchical style and sharp tongue.
“It wasn’t supposed to happen to this president. He promised to be audacious in his reforms, efficient in the exercise of power, and the embodiment of dignity. In his first few months the promise was kept, but now everything is going wrong,” the right-leaning Le Figaro said in an editorial on Monday.