Hollande picks 34-member team to run government | WPN World People News

New French President Francois Hollande has chosen a 34-member team comprising mostly moderates, including half of them being women, for his cabinet.

The list of 34 new ministers was unveiled amid lots of speculation Wednesday evening. The team was selected by French President Franois Hollande and newly appointed Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.

The cabinet had its first meeting Thursday- Hollande chose moderates to head the labour, economy, foreign affairs, defence and other posts.

The number of women in the cabinet is in line with Hollande's campaign promise to respect gender-parity in his government.

However, only one major ministerial portfolio the justice ministry went to a woman, the French Guyanese lawmaker Christiane Taubira.

The ministerial team also spans generations, with the youngest being 34 and the eldest is 66 years old.

"It's a renewed government," said newly named Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault. "It's the change the French wanted."

Michel Sapin is the new labour minister, Laurent Fabius is foreign minister spokesman, Pierre Moscovici is minister of economy and finance, Socialist Jean-Yves Le Drian will be defence minister.

Hollande, the country's first Socialist president since 1995, won an election this month against incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy.

At its first meeting Thursday, the government reiterated its desire to combat excessive austerity and better manage public finances by announcing a 30% cut in pay for President Franois Hollande and all ministers.

Source: France News.Net