Two French ministers have quit their jobs in the space of 24 hours as President Emmanuel Macron reshuffles his government to reflect his campaign pledge to clean up politics.
In a surprise decision, Defence Minister Sylvie Goulard announced on Tuesday she was resigning over a fake jobs scandal that has hit her small centrist MoDem party, which allied with Macron's party in presidential and legislative elections.
Macron accepted her resignation and said he "respected" Goulard's decision.
Her high-profile departure came after the president on Monday asked a close ally, Richard Ferrand, to leave his post as minister for territorial cohesion for a senior role in their Republic on the Move (REM) party.
Ferrand is under investigation over claims he favoured his wife in a lucrative property deal with a public health insurance fund when he headed the company.
Goulard's MoDem party is facing a preliminary probe into claims it misused European Parliament expenses in the hiring of parliamentary assistants.
The minister, who was a member of the European Parliament from 2009 to May this year, said she could not remain in the government while facing a possible investigation.
Meanwhile Macron has been carrying out a partial reshuffle of his month-old government following parliamentary elections on Sunday that handed him and his MoDem allies a commanding majority.
Macron's REM party crushed its rivals by winning 308 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly and will not need the support of MoDem, which won 42 seats, to get legislation through parliament.
Prime Minister Edouard Philippe is expected to name his new cabinet on Wednesday.
- Confidence in politicians -
Goulard had been named to the defence job only a month ago following Macron's election to the presidency.
She said the possibility of an investigation made it impossible for her to stay in the post given Macron's pledge to clean up politics after a series of scandals involving ministers under his Socialist predecessor Francois Hollande.
"The president is committed to restoring confidence in public office, reforming France and relaunching Europe," Goulard said in a statement.
"This reform agenda must take precedence over any personal considerations.
"That is why I have asked the president, with the agreement of the prime minister, to leave the government," she added.
Paris prosecutors opened a preliminary investigation this month into claims in the Canard Enchaine newspaper that the MoDem party was using European parliamentary funds to pay assistants based in France.
Marine Le Pen's far-right National Front party is facing similar accusations.
MoDem leader Francois Bayrou was a key backer of Macron's movement during the presidential campaign, and his support was crucial in lending legitimacy to a candidate who had never before stood for elected office.
Bayrou, whom Macron named justice minister as a reward for his support, dismissed the claims last week, saying there had "never been" fake jobs among his party's European Parliament staff.
On Tuesday, the MoDem leader told AFP he would not comment on Goulard's resignation except to say her decision was "personal".
Macron is set to introduce an ethics law after the presidential candidate of the conservative Republicans, Francois Fillon, was charged with allegedly paying his wife Penelope and their children around 900,000 euros ($1 million) to work for him in parliament.
The president has banned the newly elected REM lawmakers from employing family members.
Macron is also preparing for his first EU summit as president on Thursday and Friday. He hopes to see EU leaders approve the creation of a 5.5-billion-euro European defence fund, his office said.
The EU earlier this month unveiled an unprecedented plan for common defence spending to help Europe stand alone as a global military power, while urging the United States under Donald Trump to remain on the world stage.
The proposal stems from the rejuvenated Franco-German leadership in the bloc since the election of Macron whose pro-EU views are shared by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
"France and Germany strongly support these ambitious (defence) proposals. We hope the European Council will ratify this choice," the French presidency said.
Two French ministers have quit their jobs in the space of 24 hours as President Emmanuel Macron reshuffles his government to reflect his campaign pledge to clean up politics.
In a surprise decision, Defence Minister Sylvie Goulard announced on Tuesday she was resigning over a fake jobs scandal that has hit her small centrist MoDem party, which allied with Macron’s party in presidential and legislative elections.
Macron accepted her resignation and said he “respected” Goulard’s decision.
Her high-profile departure came after the president on Monday asked a close ally, Richard Ferrand, to leave his post as minister for territorial cohesion for a senior role in their Republic on the Move (REM) party.
Ferrand is under investigation over claims he favoured his wife in a lucrative property deal with a public health insurance fund when he headed the company.
Goulard’s MoDem party is facing a preliminary probe into claims it misused European Parliament expenses in the hiring of parliamentary assistants.
The minister, who was a member of the European Parliament from 2009 to May this year, said she could not remain in the government while facing a possible investigation.
Meanwhile Macron has been carrying out a partial reshuffle of his month-old government following parliamentary elections on Sunday that handed him and his MoDem allies a commanding majority.
Macron’s REM party crushed its rivals by winning 308 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly and will not need the support of MoDem, which won 42 seats, to get legislation through parliament.
Prime Minister Edouard Philippe is expected to name his new cabinet on Wednesday.
– Confidence in politicians –
Goulard had been named to the defence job only a month ago following Macron’s election to the presidency.
She said the possibility of an investigation made it impossible for her to stay in the post given Macron’s pledge to clean up politics after a series of scandals involving ministers under his Socialist predecessor Francois Hollande.
“The president is committed to restoring confidence in public office, reforming France and relaunching Europe,” Goulard said in a statement.
“This reform agenda must take precedence over any personal considerations.
“That is why I have asked the president, with the agreement of the prime minister, to leave the government,” she added.
Paris prosecutors opened a preliminary investigation this month into claims in the Canard Enchaine newspaper that the MoDem party was using European parliamentary funds to pay assistants based in France.
Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Front party is facing similar accusations.
MoDem leader Francois Bayrou was a key backer of Macron’s movement during the presidential campaign, and his support was crucial in lending legitimacy to a candidate who had never before stood for elected office.
Bayrou, whom Macron named justice minister as a reward for his support, dismissed the claims last week, saying there had “never been” fake jobs among his party’s European Parliament staff.
On Tuesday, the MoDem leader told AFP he would not comment on Goulard’s resignation except to say her decision was “personal”.
Macron is set to introduce an ethics law after the presidential candidate of the conservative Republicans, Francois Fillon, was charged with allegedly paying his wife Penelope and their children around 900,000 euros ($1 million) to work for him in parliament.
The president has banned the newly elected REM lawmakers from employing family members.
Macron is also preparing for his first EU summit as president on Thursday and Friday. He hopes to see EU leaders approve the creation of a 5.5-billion-euro European defence fund, his office said.
The EU earlier this month unveiled an unprecedented plan for common defence spending to help Europe stand alone as a global military power, while urging the United States under Donald Trump to remain on the world stage.
The proposal stems from the rejuvenated Franco-German leadership in the bloc since the election of Macron whose pro-EU views are shared by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“France and Germany strongly support these ambitious (defence) proposals. We hope the European Council will ratify this choice,” the French presidency said.
