Paris (AFP)
Edouard Philippe gave Friday morning the resignation of his government to Emmanuel Macron, who accepted it, announced the Elysee Palace, without announcing whether the Prime Minister will be renewed or replaced in Matignon.
"Mr. Edouard Philippe today handed in the resignation of the government to the President of the Republic, who accepted it. He ensures, with members of the government, the handling of current affairs until the appointment of the new government," said a short press release from the presidency.
As a result, the Council of Ministers, scheduled for Friday morning, will not be held. The composition of the new government should be known before Wednesday, the date of the next cabinet, according to those around him.
All ministerial activity was immediately halted. At the Assembly, where the third draft revised budget was being examined, the meeting was suspended. Due to the resignation of the government, "we are going to interrupt our work", indicated the chairman of the session Hugues Renson (LREM), while the secretary of state Cédric O was present.
Emmanuel Macron had reaffirmed in April that he wanted to "reinvent himself" but without "renouncing" the reforms of the start of the quinquennium, casting doubt on whether or not to keep Edouard Philippe, his Prime Minister since the start of the quinquennium.
"The course on which I embarked on in 2017 remains true," he reaffirmed Thursday in an interview.
Since the start of the five-year term, Edouard Philippe has always been reappointed, but in total 17 ministers have left the government, including 13 who have resigned, the most recent being Agnès Buzyn.
With or without Edouard Philippe, the next government will be responsible for applying the "new path" that Emmanuel Macron has started to design, with a priority on health policy, old age and a plan for youth.
A change that promises to continue with notably the resumption of construction of the pension reform.
© 2020 AFP