French Foreign Minister Leaves Office
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VOA News
Laurent Fabius leaving his post to become president the Constitutional Council, country's supreme court that reviews compliance of laws with the constitution
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Voice of America
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius is leaving his post to become the president the Constitutional Council, the country's supreme court that reviews compliance of laws with the constitution.

President Francois Hollande formally proposed the nomination of the 69-year-old Fabius on Wednesday, before an anticipated Cabinet reorganization.

Fabius, a former prime minister, has been in the post since 2012 and would assume the new position in early March, after parliamentary committees endorse his nomination.

Potential successors

No word yet about Fabius replacement, but Segolene Royal, the environment minister and ex-partner of Hollande, is among the potential successors, as is former prime minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault.

France's Syrian policy

In a speech Wednesday at the National Assembly, Fabius denounced the “terrifying brutality” of Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime.

He also reiterated his criticism of the United States policy on Syria, calling it “ambiguous” and adding that one does not “get the feeling that there is a very strong commitment.”