France's new Prime Minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, is locked in talks at his official residence, trying to work out the shape of his new cabinet. An announcement was expected on Tuesday morning, but is thought to have been delayed by last-minute wrangling over the line-up. The new team will carry the right's hopes into next month's parliamentary elections. Newly re-elected President Jacques Chirac is hoping for a right-wing parliamentary majority, to prevent another period of power-sharing between left and right. Mr Raffarin was named yesterday as prime minister by Mr Chirac, the day after Mr Chirac trounced the far-right's Jean-Marie Le Pen in the presidential poll.

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