French Government Resigns

For the second time in five months, the French government is getting some new blood. On Monday, President Francois Hollande ordered Prime Minister Manuel Valls to form a new government. “The head of state asked him [Valls] to form a team consistent with the direction he has himself set for the country,” a statement said. The reshuffle is an attempt to lift France from a sluggish economy as leftist and more centrist Socialist Party members fight among themselves. It could also be a reaction to the perceived insubordination by Economy Minister Arnaud Montebourg, who bad-mouthed France and Germany.