Cazeneuve named new French PM

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve was named the country's new prime minister yesterday after Manuel Valls resigned to seek the Socialist nomination in next year's presidential election.

Cazeneuve, who has overseen the security forces' reaction to a string of jihadist attacks that have killed more than 230 people in France over the past two years, will head the Socialist government until the election in May.

The widely-respected lawyer was named to the post after President Francois Hollande accepted Valls' resignation.

Cazeneuve, 53, has served in various government roles, including budget and Europe minister before becoming interior minister in April 2014.

Cazeneuve will be replaced in the interior ministry by Bruno Le Roux, currently the leader of the Socialists in the lower house of parliament.

The mini-reshuffle comes after Valls, who was Hollande's right-hand man for the past two-and-a-half years, quit to focus on the presidential race.

Valls is currently placed in fifth place in polls.

Polls show Le Pen and Fillon far out in front in the opening round of the election on April 23, with Fillon expected to beat Le Pen in May's second round.