Tens of thousands protest public spending cuts across France

Tens of thousands of people protested in France Thursday against public spending cuts, as President Emmanuel Macron was expected to name a new government this weekend, sources said.

Macron, who has just 18 months left in power and is enduring his worst-ever popularity levels, has struggled to pull France out of a worsening political and economic crisis.

The president is set to put together a leaner team under Sébastien Lecornu, his seventh prime minister, sources told AFP.

Heeding a call from trade unions, some 600,000 protesters staged a new day of demonstrations across the country, the leftist CGT union said. The interior ministry put the turnout at 195,000 people.

By comparison, trade unions said more than a million people took to the streets two weeks ago, when many schools were closed and public transport stalled.

"You can feel that the country is changing," hard-left firebrand Jean-Luc Mélenchon said at a rally in Paris.

"We do not know what will happen. But we know that this turmoil is there. Which way will it erupt?"

After years of overspending, authorities have struggled to reduce France's soaring public debt.

But many critics say the government's proposed austerity measures would hit the poorest hardest.

Read moreCan Macron’s quiet power broker Sébastien Lecornu navigate France’s fractured politics as PM?

In early September, the French president named 39-year-old Lecornu prime minister, plumping for one of his top allies rather than seeking to broaden the appeal of the government across the political spectrum in defiance of the opposition.

Lecornu's predecessors, François Bayrou and Michel Barnier, were both ousted in a standoff over France's budget in a deeply divided parliament.

Lecornu now faces the huge challenge of building bridges across parliament and ensuring he does not suffer the same fate as Bayrou, who proposed scrapping two public holidays and was ousted after nine months on the job.

On Friday, Lecornu is set to meet with leaders of the far-right National Rally (RN) and the Socialists.

The centre-left party has emerged as a key swing group in parliament, but threatened to withhold support if the prime minister keeps pushing for tough austerity measures.

'Many departures'

This weekend, the Elysee is expected to unveil the new cabinet lineup.

According to several parliamentary and executive sources, the new government is expected to be unveiled Saturday morning, or Sunday evening at the latest.

Read moreAt least 195,000 take to streets across France to denounce budget cuts

Lecornu, a former defence minister with a keen political nose, is set to put together a tight team of around 20 to 25 ministers, with many key government members expected to keep their jobs, the sources told AFP.

By comparison, there were 35 ministers in the cabinet of Bayrou.

The push for a smaller government aligns with the authorities' plan to reduce France's soaring public debt, an outgoing minister said.

"There will be many departures" and "three or four arrivals", they said on condition of anonymity.

Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot is expected to keep his job, while who will succeed Lecornu as defence minister is still an open question.

Several figures have been tipped for the post, including the outgoing labour and health minister, Catherine Vautrin.

Economy Minister Eric Lombard, who is associated with Bayrou's aggressive austerity plan, is expected to be replaced.

Bruno Retailleau, the tough-talking interior minister who has vowed to crack down on illegal immigration, and Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin are both expected to keep their jobs.

Education Minister Elisabeth Borne and Manuel Valls, the minister for overseas territories, are also expected to remain in the government.

Rachida Dati, the scandal-ridden culture minister who is set to stand trial for corruption next year, might be heading for the exit, although some believe she will keep her job.

France has been mired in deadlock since Macron gambled on snap elections last summer in the hopes of bolstering his authority. The move backfired, producing a parliament fractured between three rival blocs.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)