France’s new president proving a keeper of secrets

Richard Ferrand, the secretary-general of Macron’s Republic on the Move party, attends a news conference for the upcoming National Assembly elections, at the party headquarters in Paris, Thursday, May 11, 2017. President-elect Emmanuel Macron’s party has revealed a list of 428 people running for parliament next month, half of them women, most who have never held elected office, as he tries to remake France’s political system. (Pool photo by ERIC FEFERBERG via AP)

PARIS — Two days before French president-elect Emmanuel Macron takes power, the names of the prime minister and the ministers who will form his first government remain a mystery even to some of his most trusted collaborators.

Richard Ferrand, who works closely with Macron as secretary-general of his Republic on the Move party, said Friday on BFM television that even he didn’t know who would be prime minister, expected to be named on Monday, the first full day of the new presidency, at the latest.

“Frankly, I don’t know,” Ferrand said. “And that’s good, because if I knew I’d be obliged to lie to you.”

Speculation surrounds a half-dozen names, some fairly well-known, others less so.