PARIS — French Prime Minister Michel Barnier has appointed two relatively unknown figures to tackle France’s growing budget crisis, placing loyalty over political clout in a high-stakes move. The newly named finance and budget ministers, Antoine Armand, 33, and Laurent Saint Martin, 39, will be responsible for addressing a spiraling budget deficit projected to reach 6% of GDP.
Armand, a junior lawmaker from President Emmanuel Macron’s party, has been given the prestigious role of economy and finance minister. Saint Martin, previously head of the government’s foreign investment office, was named budget minister, a role that will now report directly to the prime minister rather than the finance ministry, breaking from tradition.
The pair will face immediate pressure to draft and pass the 2025 budget bill amid fierce opposition in France’s divided parliament, where a vote of no confidence could potentially bring down Barnier’s government. They must balance tax hikes and spending cuts without risking Macron’s legacy of tax cuts and pro-business reforms.
While they are inexperienced in high-level politics, experts say Armand and Saint Martin will ensure policy continuity under Macron’s vision. Economists anticipate the challenge of navigating opposition from both the far-right National Rally and Barnier’s own conservative party as they finalize the budget by the October 1 deadline.