French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Sunday re-appointed Francois Fillon as his Prime Minister in a long awaited Cabinet reshuffle that proved to be a damp squib. Mr. Fillon submitted his resignation on Saturday evening and his reappointment came as no surprise.
Mr. Sarkozy first announced he would proceed with a Cabinet reshuffle after the ruling right-wing coalition he leads suffered significant losses in regional elections held in March 2010. Two months later, he re-confirmed his intention to give the country a new government. But as the months rolled on and there was no sign of the promised reshuffle and opposition politicians and even some irate MPs from Mr. Sarkozy's own political family described the delay as “an unending soap opera”.
Mr. Fillon, whose popularity ratings far outstrip that of the President, had “become a thorn in Sarkozy's side”, said analysts. The Prime Minister's popularity boosted speculation that the President would sack him for fear that he would become a rival in the race to be the right's candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Mr. Sarkozy then kicked off a race for the job by giving encouraging nods to various hopeful Ministers. Among those whose expectations have been dashed are outgoing Environment and Energy Minister Jean Louis Borloo and Minister for the Budget Francois Baroin.
Mr. Sarkozy's dominant governing style and his inability to delegate either authority or responsibility meant that it was he, not Mr. Fillon who became the target of public ire. But since Mr. Fillon had the backing of several right-wing MPs, he became increasingly difficult to push out of the government. Mr. Sarkozy also clearly went by the dictum that it was better to have his future rival in his own camp than as an overt enemy. It is expected that in the new Cabinet Mr. Sarkozy will depend more on heavyweights from his own UMP party rather than on his centrist allies and other imports (especially socialist breakaways) who had earlier been given plum posts such as Defence, Immigration or Foreign Affairs.
With presidential elections just 18 months away, Mr. Sarkozy wants a tighter, closer-knit and more loyal coterie around him. By keeping on Mr. Fillon, he hopes the Prime Minister will take the flack for any governmental missteps in the coming electoral period which could serve to erode his popularity and thus neutralise him as a possible rival.
