French Presidency: Resignation of Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne

The French presidency announced today, Monday, the resignation of Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne. This comes as President Emmanuel Macron seeks to inject new momentum into his second term ahead of the European Parliament elections and the Summer Olympics in Paris. Macron has sparked speculation about a government reshuffle in December by promising a new political initiative, after 2023 was marked by political crises stemming from controversial reforms of the pension system and immigration laws. This move also comes just five months before the European Parliament elections, where EU skeptics are expected to gain record ground amid widespread public dissatisfaction due to rising living costs and the failure of European governments to curb migration flows. Among the potential candidates to succeed Borne are Education Minister Gabriel Attal (34 years old) and Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu (37 years old), both of whom would be the youngest Prime Minister in France's history. Experts have also pointed to Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire and former Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie as possible options. The change of Prime Minister will not necessarily lead to a shift in political direction, but it indicates a desire to move beyond the crises of pension and immigration reforms and focus on new priorities.