E UROPE IS A continent of coalition governments, painful to forge and fragile to maintain. Most European politicians are familiar with their challenges. For Michel Barnier’s new French government, however,

The government still faces two challenges in the coming weeks: the risk of a no-confidence vote and a tight budget deadline.

France's new government, finally appointed two-and-a-half months after elections, features a host of new faces all of whom share the same characteristic -- they are unlikely to stand in 2027 presidential elections.