AFPÉlisabeth Borne in the French parliament
NOS News•yesterday, 7:24 PM•Adjusted yesterday, 8:28 PM
French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne has resigned. A few months before the European elections, she submitted her resignation to President Macron. She has requested that she resign, she writes in her resignation letter.
A reshuffle of the cabinet was already taken into account. Macron’s party is trailing in the polls behind Marine Le Pen’s far-right Rassemblement National.
Over the past year, the French government has struggled with numerous crises. In particular, the reform of the pension system, which raised the retirement age from 62 to 64, led to weeks of riots and discontent in the government. Macron implemented the law with a presidential decree, thus sidelining parliament.
A stricter immigration law was also introduced. France can now more easily deport migrants if they pose a danger to society, even if they reside legally in France.
The law led to opposition in the government and parliament. Right-wing parties found the first version of the law too lenient for migrants; the left is too strict. Interior Minister Darmanin unsuccessfully offered his resignation (Macron refused), but Health Minister Rousseau resigned.
No majority
Borne was France’s second female prime minister and has been in the saddle since May 2022, after Macron’s re-election. Because Macron no longer had a majority after his re-election, few policies really got off the ground.
On X, Macron thanks Borne for her “exemplary work and commitment”. “You have shown courage, dedication and determination as a stateswoman. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Correspondent Frank Renout:
“The fact that Prime Minister Borne is resigning from the government comes as no surprise to anyone. There has been speculation about it for weeks. President Macron has had an annus horribilis. It started with long and intense pension protests, followed by violent unrest in the banlieues. And France was again hit by a terrorist attack on a teacher and a tourist was killed in Paris by someone who said he sympathized with the Palestinians.
In parliament, the government faced stubborn resistance from the opposition, both left and right. The pension law was pushed through without support from the Assembly and a controversial migration law only passed after prolonged political wrangling and wrangling.
President Macron is looking for new impetus. And that is why Elisabeth Borne had to make way. The main question now is who Macron will appoint as the new prime minister. What course is being taken? And can that new prime minister boost the president’s image again?”
2024-01-08 19:28:23
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