INTRODUCTION: The President of France, valery Giscard d'Estaing installed a new government on Wednesday (30 March). It contained few surprises, retaining the Foreign, Defence and Finance Minister from the outgoing cabinet. A presidential spokesman named the new government headed by Prime Minister Raymond Barre, two days after the President accepted the old cabinet's resignation in the wake of the government's defeat in nationwide municipal elections.

SYNOPSIS: Consultations were going on in the Elysee Palace on Tuesday (29 March). The President made Monsieur barre officially responsible for forming a new cabinet, designed to end the political rivalries that have dogged the ruling three-party coalition in recent months.

The consultations were also attended by the President of Senate, Alain Poher, and the President of the National Assembly, Edgar Faure.

One task for the new cabinet of 15 ministers will be to win the parliamentary elections in a year's time -- by means of a pact binding the majority parties and of a programme of action. In a television broadcast the President said that the recent elections demonstrated the country's mood for change.