French President Emmanuel Macron is considering appointing a new prime minister possibly by Monday, January 8, as per sources close to him.
This move aims to revamp a government that has faced significant criticism. French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne’s role has been unstable since the defeat of an immigration bill proposed by Macron in Parliament last month.
The bill eventually passed but with substantial modifications from the center-right opposition.
Macron’s administration, which is also contending with increasing opposition from Marine Le Pen’s far-right Rassemblement National (RN), had a meeting between Macron and Borne on Sunday night.
Officially, they discussed the northern France floods and the impending cold wave, but it’s speculated that they also talked about an anticipated change in the cabinet.
François Bayrou, a central figure in Macron’s initial election victory in 2017, expressed on BFM television that the government requires a change.
In France’s political system, while the president determines the overarching policies, the prime minister handles the everyday running of the government. As a result, the prime minister often faces repercussions during times of political challenges.
Meanwhile, there are no final decisions appeared to have been taken before the meeting with Borne, however.
A close Macron adviser said the president was “finalizing his choices” and “things will move at the start of the week, probably with a new prime minister Monday.”
