France's new premier said he hoped to finalize a long-awaited government “before Sunday,” as President Emmanuel Macron weighed a line-up that marks a shift to the right, with left-wingers due to protest on Saturday.

The full line-up, which includes fresh faces in almost all key posts, is due after “final fine-tuning,” Prime Minister Michel Barnier's office said, after two-and-a-half months of deadlock created by inconclusive legislative elections.

While there appeared to be no major surprises or big-name entrants into the cabinet, there are set to be new foreign, economy, and interior ministers, with only the defense minister remaining unchanged among the key offices of state.

Barnier is proposing Europe Minister Jean-Noel Barrot as foreign minister, a source close to Macron's political faction told AFP, asking not to be named.

The move would be a major promotion for the 41-year-old, whose slick media appearances have impressed observers, but boosting France's presence on the international stage could pose a challenge.

Bruno Retailleau, who heads the faction of the right-wing The Republicans (LR) in France's upper house Senate, is to take on the interior ministry, according to several sources who spoke to AFP.

Landing the interior ministry, which oversees the police and domestic security, would be seen as a major success for the right.

And another meteoric rise will likely see Antoine Armand, the 33-year-old head of parliament's economic affairs commission, installed as economy minister.

One key person said to be staying on is Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu, who is believed to enjoy a close and trusting relationship with Macron.

Tense lunch

Barnier was at the Elysee Palace late Thursday to discuss the nominations with Macron.

Macron could seek to veto Barnier's proposals but doing so would cause immense tensions with his premier at this stage.

Sources added that names still need to be vetted to ensure they have no conflicts of interest before entering government, as is customary.

But Macron “will not censor any name,” said a source close to him who asked not to be named.

Among the more junior positions, a last-minute controversy arose over the proposed appointment of LR senator Laurence Garnier as family minister.

Macron's centrist allies strongly protested her nomination to the family brief, with Garnier having opposed both gay marriage and the inscription of the right to abortion in the constitution.

There had been tensions between centrist Macron and Barnier, who comes from the LR, over the balance of the government, notably at a lunch earlier this week that reports said was far from cordial.

Le Monde daily said that Barnier had even raised the possibility of resigning just days into the job. The tensions were then resolved on Thursday.