BERLIN (Reuters) – Catherine Colonna, France’s ambassador to the United Kingdom and former spokesperson for the late President Jacques Chirac, is set to be named as France’s new foreign minister, BFM TV reported on Friday, citing unidentified sources.
Colonna, 66, is the second woman to take the helm of France’s foreign ministry after a short failed 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.
Her 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. It will also help with continuity regarding the conflict in Ukraine, given London’s active support of Kyiv.
(Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Richard Lough)
