Hollande names right-wing interior minister as new premier after defeat in French municipal elections
After the defeat of his Socialist Party (PS) in Sunday’s municipal elections and the record victory of the neo-fascist National Front (FN), French President François Hollande reshuffled his cabinet, naming Interior Minister Manuel Valls as prime minister to replace Jean-Marc Ayrault. ● As interior minister, Valls has spearheaded mass deportations of Roma and undocumented immigrants and stated that, in his opinion, the Roma as an ethnic group should collectively leave France. He has on this basis been promoted and featured by the media. Speaking on television last night, Hollande said he had “personally
” received the message sent by the electorate. He added, “It is time to pass today to a new stage. I have thus given Manuel Valls the mission of leading the government of France
.” Hollande said that Valls would lead “a small team, a government of combat
.”
RT.com: French PM Ayrault resigns after Socialists lose local elections