Emmanuel Macron's party named a new leader Saturday as the French president faces the first rebellious grumblings in the 19-month-old movement that swept him to power. Christophe Castaner, a smooth-talking, ultra-loyal government spokesman, takes the helm of Republic on the Move (LREM) six months after Macron won the presidency in a sensational upset for French politics. Macron's handpicked favourite, Castaner is a former Socialist MP who joined the 39-year-old's centrist, pro-European campaign early in his run for presidency.
"It's not a dream, it's not an ambition, it's a chance, an honour, it's a duty," Castaner said, as he promised not to be "the leader of the movement", but an "organiser, a facilitator". Castaner, 51, was elected unopposed via a show of hands at LREM's party congress in the eastern city of Lyon, to the irritation of some grassroots members of what Macron called a "citizens' movement". The new party chief - who admitted he had not been "dreaming" of the unpaid job - struck a humble tone as he accepted a three-year term, telling party members: "Your vote gives me no rights, only responsibilities."
AFP text, photos, graphics and logos shall not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP shall not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP content, or for any actions taken in consequence.
Business Recorder shall not be responsible or held liable for any error of fact, opinion or recommendation and also for any loss, financial or otherwise, resulting from business or trade or speculation conducted, or investments made, on the basis of the information posted here. Nor shall Business Recorder be held liable for any actions taken in consequence." >Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2017