French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne resigned on Monday after less than two years in office as President Emmanuel Macron plans a reshuffle ahead of European elections later this year.
Writing on X, Macron thanked Borne for "exemplary" work in serving the nation, without explicitly mentioning her resignation.
Madame la Première ministre, chère @Elisabeth_Borne, votre travail au service de notre Nation a été chaque jour exemplaire. Vous avez mis en œuvre notre projet avec le courage, l’engagement et la détermination des femmes d’État. De tout cœur, merci. pic.twitter.com/G26ifKfKzj
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) January 8, 2024
Macron is said to be preparing a long-awaited cabinet reshuffle, with Education Minister Gabriel Attal, 34, emerging as the favourite to succeed Borne.
If named, he would be France's youngest and first openly gay prime minister.
Commentators see the reshuffle as essential to relaunch Macron's centrist presidency for its final three years, and prevent him becoming a lame duck leader after a series of crises.
Since he defeated the far right to win a second term in 2022, Macron lost his overall majority in parliamentary elections. He has since faced protests over his unpopular pensions reform, and controversy over immigration legislation.
Borne, 62, the second woman to lead the French government, has weathered these problems but never dispelled doubts about her future.
In a sign that the reshuffle was imminent, Borne held one hour of unscheduled talks with Macron at the Elysée Palace on Monday afternoon.
She was also not present, as would be customary, at a New Year's reception for France's Constitutional Council.
Other than Attal, the possible candidates to succeed Borne include 37-year-old Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu and 43-year-old former agriculture minister Julien Denormandie.
(with AFP)
