Catherine Colonna, France's ambassador to Britain, was named her country's foreign minister on Friday, a move that may be aimed to win over diplomats after fractious relations with the presidency.
Ms Colonna, 66, is the second woman to lead France's Foreign Ministry after a short stint by Michele Alliot-Marie in 2010.
The seasoned diplomat has held posts in Washington and Brussels, is a former ambassador to Italy and a former secretary of state for European affairs.
She was also spokeswoman for former president Jacques Chirac
Ms Colonna's appointment may signal that President Emmanuel Macron is seeking to appease a diplomatic corps angered by his past accusations of civil servants at times working against the executive.
More recently, Mr Macron's decision to reform the diplomatic career structure has led to their unions calling for a strike next month — only the second in their history.
The reform will scrap a special status for senior Foreign Ministry officials meaning they would fall into a broader civil service pool.
“She will be appreciated at the Foreign Ministry. She will reassure at a time when the ministry is facing doubts, uncertainty and the end of the diplomatic corps,” said Jean de Gliniasty, former ambassador to Russia.
“The Foreign Ministry is not in a good state psychologically.”
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People walk past official campaign posters of French presidential election candidates Marine le Pen and French President Emmanuel Macron, in Paris, France. Reuters -
French President Emmanuel Macron, who is running for re-election in the 2022 French election, at a campaign rally in Nanterre, Paris. Reuters -
French far-right Reconquete party leader and 2022 presidential election candidate Eric Zemmour (C) throws his arms aloft at the end of a campaign rally at Trocadero in Paris. EPA -
Far-right Rassemblement National party MP Marine Le Pen takes a selfie with supporters. AFP -
Les Republicains presidential candidate Valerie Pecresse delivers a speech on the campaign trail in the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. AFP -
Ruralist party 'Resistons!' presidential candidate Jean Lassalle is surrounded by supporters before delivering a speech in Toulouse, southern France. AFP -
Official campaign posters of Marine le Pen and Emmanuel Macron pasted on bulletin boards near the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Reuters -
Hundreds of public servants prepare party political propaganda to be mailed, only days before the first round of the presidential election in France. AFP -
A supporter holds up a placard reading "With You" at an election campaign event for Emmanuel Macron in Paris. Bloomberg -
Emmanuel Macron speaks to journalists at the Maison de la Radio in Paris. AFP -
French far-left party Lutte Ouvriere (LO) presidential candidate Nathalie Arthaud (C) raises her hand at a rally at Zenith concert hall in Paris. AFP -
Emmanuel Macron sings the French national anthem as he appears on a giant screen at the end of his first campaign meeting at the Paris La Defence Arena in Nanterre. AFP -
French Socialist Party presidential candidate Anne Hidalgo waves to supporters in Paris. AFP -
French leftist party La France Insoumise presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon delivers a speech in Toulouse. AFP -
Europe Ecologie Les Verts presidential candidate Yannick Jadot plays football with youngsters at Andre-Malraux park in Nanterre. AFP -
A supporter of Valerie Pecresse holds a campaign poster in Paris. EPA -
Marine Le Pen gives a speech during a campaign meeting in Stiring-Wendel. AFP -
French far-left party Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste presidential candidate Philippe Poutou delivers a speech at the Cirque d’Hiver in Paris. AFP -
French Communist Party presidential candidate Fabien Roussel sings at the end of a campaign meeting at the Double Mixte venue in Villeurbanne. AFP -
Far-right party Debout La France presidential candidate Nicolas Dupont-Aignan speaks to a fisherman in Palavas-les-Flots, southern France. AFP -
A campaign rally for Eric Zemmour in Paris. AFP
Ms Colonna is best known as the late Mr Chirac's spokeswoman, a job she held for nine years, including when France opposed the US-led war in Iraq.
Her experience will also help with continuity regarding the conflict in Ukraine, given London's active support of Kyiv.
She replaces Jean-Yves Le Drian, who had been a minister, first at the defence ministry and then foreign ministry, for 10 years.
She will work closely with former centre-right politician Sebastien Lecornu, a close ally of Mr Macron, who takes over as defence minister, after serving as overseas minister.
Clement Beaune remains as Europe minister.
