Sarkozy to reshuffle government next week
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French President Nicolas Sarkozy is due announce a long-waited government cabinet next week after closing the sensitive file of pension reforms, the daily newspaper Le Figaro reported on Wednesday.
Sarkozy was expected to inject fresh blood in the current center-right government before the NATO summit scheduled Nov. 19-20 in Lisbon, according to the report.
"After several weeks of suspense, Francois Fillon seems well placed to succeed himself and he would stay at Matignon," Le Figaro said.
The right newspaper added that the 55-year-old Sarkozy will address the nation on Nov. 18 to outline the main issues on his agenda over the remaining 18 months of his mandate.
Sarkozy pledges to tighten the government composition by reducing the number of ministries in a move to trim public spending and narrow the budget deficit from an expected 7.7-percent this year to 3 percent in 2013 as to meet the limit of the European Union.
The presidential office L' Elysee Palace did not comment.
Pierre Lellouche, secretary of state in charges of European affairs told RTL radio that Wednesday's cabinet meeting would probably be the last one of the current government.
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