Arthur Delaborde, edited by Loane Nader // photo credit: Ludovic MARIN / POOL / AFP 11:53 am, May 31, 2023, modified at 11:58 am, May 31, 2023

There is water in the gas between Emmanuel Macron and his Prime Minister. The latter was taken up by the president after calling the National Rally "heir to Pétain", an offensive to which he would have replied that "we do not fight the extreme right with the words of the 90s". But why such an attack?

It is a cold shower for Elisabeth Borne who was reframed by Emmanuel Macron in the Council of Ministers on Tuesday. After having qualified the National Rally as "heir to Pétain", the President of the Republic retorted that "we do not fight the far right with the words of the 90s". But why did you choose to do it in the eyes of all?" The RN is only a pretext. He wanted to put a cartridge on him publicly," explains very bluntly an adviser to Emmanuel Macron.

It is thus a way to put pressure on her, while some see her staying at Matignon at the end of the 100 days, as analyzed by a minister. Another heavyweight of the majority predicts that for the Prime Minister, the end is near. Nevertheless, in her entourage, it is explained that there are no tensions within the executive couple and that she was absolutely not affected by the words of the head of state.

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"An intense and hard period for Elisabeth Borne"

However, this is not the first time that the latter has expressed dissatisfaction with his prime minister. But this time, the blow delivered by the president is of rare violence, especially in the solemn framework of the Council of Ministers, and at a time when the head of government remains very weakened by the pension reform.

It is indeed "a very intense period, very hard for Elisabeth Borne," admits one of her relatives, who also reports a sentence often pronounced by Elisabeth Borne lately: "It's less difficult than death marches."