France: Emmanuel Macron confirms Elisabeth Borne as Prime Minister
French Prime Minister and President Emmanuel Macron, during the 82nd anniversary of the June 18 appeal, at the Mont Valérien memorial in Suresnes, near Paris, June 18, 2022. © Gonzalo Fuentes, AP
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
French President Emmanuel Macron "
confirmed
" Elisabeth Borne as Prime Minister, in an interview with AFP on Saturday June 25.
The fate of the head of government has been the subject of speculation since the presidential party lost its absolute majority in parliament in the legislative elections of June 19, but she will be responsible for presenting a "
new government of action
" for the beginning of July, he announced.
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In an interview with AFP, Emmanuel Macron said he had "
decided to confirm
(his)
confidence in Elisabeth Borne
", whom he instructed to think about a "
new government of action
" for the beginning of July.
The French president, who had just spoken with her, specified that
he had asked her to sound out the political groups
in the National Assembly next week on a “
government agreement
”, as well as on
their possible participation in a government
, or on their position on a vote of confidence in Elisabeth Borne on July 5.
The head of state also asked her to sound out the vote on the state budget next fall.
"
When I return
(from
the G7 and NATO
summits (which are being held until Thursday - editor's note),
the Prime Minister will submit to me proposals for a roadmap for the government of France over the coming months and the next few years, and also for the composition of a new government of action at the service of France that we will put in place in the first days of July
,” he added.
This government may be joined by
representatives of other political forces
ready to cooperate with the presidential party.
Emmanuel Macron nevertheless underlined that these discussions will take place within the "
framework of the presidential project and that of the presidential majority, which may be amended or enriched
".
However, a red line is established: increase “
neither taxes nor the debt
”.
Expected return of the pension reform
Despite
his setback in the legislative elections
, the head of state has not given up on
pension reform,
set aside at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The reform aims to "
work longer as all our neighbors do, taking into account working conditions and therefore the rules of hardship, taking into account long careers
", he said.
It is, with the reform towards full employment, "
the two major reforms that we must carry out in consultation, without totems or taboos, but while keeping a course of ambition
".
The head of state, looking for reinforcements after
losing an absolute majority
in the Assembly last Sunday, ruled out the possibility of an agreement with the far-right National Rally party, as well as with France rebellious (radical left).
This because the two formations, according to him, "
do not register as parties of government
".
The possible allies, “
it will be communists to the LR
”, he indicated, in reference to the traditional right-wing party Les Républicains.
(With AFP)
►Also watch:
Without a majority, how can Macron hold on?
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France
French politics
Emmanuel Macron
Elisabeth Borne