French PM Castex wants ‘to unite nation to fight crisis’ as Macron launches new phase of presidency

France’s new Prime Minister Jean Castex has warned that the coronavirus pandemic was not over yet and an economic crisis “is already here.” On Friday, he took the helm of President Emmanuel Macron’s government.

Castex praised outgoing prime minister Edouard Philippe outside the official premier’s residence and said he would continue the structural reforms undertaken by the former government.

Macron named Castex earlier on Friday to launch a “new phase” of his presidency. “We will have to unite the nation to fight this crisis that is setting in,” the new prime minister said.