Macron taps relative unknowns in reshuffle

French President Emmanuel Macron has named a group of relative unknowns to senior government posts in a reshuffle after allies from the centre-right MoDem party said they were resigning.

MoDem has become embroiled in a legal probe into claims that it misused EU parliamentary funds and its importance as an ally has subsided since Macron's party won a comfortable majority in a parliamentary election on Sunday.

Businesswoman Florence Parly, who worked in the past in a Socialist government and for major French transport companies, was named defence minister and law expert Nicole Belloubet was nominated justice minister.

Jacques Mezard moved from the Agriculture Ministry to the territorial planning ministry vacated by Macron's under-fire right-hand man Richard Ferrand.

Mezard was replaced by former Socialist Stephane Travert who joined Macron's movement last year.