Macron names new chief of staff as former aide targets Bank of France role

French President Emmanuel Macron has named Pierre-André Imbert, the ambassador to Australia, as his new chief of staff, replacing Emmanuel Moulin, who is now eligible to run for governor of the Bank of France.

The move was formalized Thursday in France's official journal. Before serving as French envoy to Australia, Imbert was social affairs adviser to Macron between 2017 and 2020 and deputy chief of staff until 2023, when he left for Canberra, News.Az reports, citing Politico.

While Moulin has not publicly announced his ambition to succeed François Villeroy de Galhau, who is leaving France's central bank in June, his interest in the job is an open secret in Paris' corridors of power.

Under the French constitution, the bank’s governor is nominated by the French president and is appointed by government decree after a parliamentary vote.

The government has not communicated on the selection process, nor on hearings with possible candidates, but an official in Macron’s entourage said the president would make his pick in May.

The nominee can, however, be vetoed by parliament if three-fifths of MPs from the finance committees of the National Assembly and the Senate vote against them.

Given that parliament is now dominated by opposition parties from both sides of the political spectrum, it isn’t certain that Moulin will secure its approval, despite his strong economic background.

News.Az 

By Ulviyya Salmanli