French Prime Minister resigns following political tensions over immigration

Elisabeth Borne’s resignation comes after a year marred by political crises over immigration and pension reforms

The French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne has handed in her resignation to president Emmanuel Macron on Monday after less than two years in the job.

Borne’s resignation follows recent political tensions over contentious immigration legislation backed by Macron to strengthen the government’s ability to deport some foreigners, among other measures.

It comes amid reports Macron is poised to reshuffle his top team ahead of European elections due later this year.

Borne had been appointed in May 2022 after Macron’s reelection for a second term and was France’s second female prime minister.

Emmanuel Macron thanked her for her ‘courage, commitment and determination’

In a statement on social media platform X, the president said: “Madam Prime Minister, dear Elisabeth Borne , your work in the service of our Nation has been exemplary every day. You implemented our project with the courage, commitment and determination of women of states. With all my heart, thank you.”

The statement from Macron’s office also said Borne will continue handling daily domestic issues until a new government is appointed.

Among those cited as potential candidates to replace Borne are 34-year-old Education Minister Gabriel Attal and 37-year-old Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu, either of whom would be France’s youngest ever prime minister.

Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire and former agriculture minister Julien Denormandie have also been mentioned by pundits as possible options.

The change in prime minister will not necessarily lead to a shift in political tack, but rather signal a desire to move beyond the pension and immigration reforms and focus on new priorities, including hitting full employment.

Speculation of a government reshuffle had been rife in the weeks since the narrow adoption in parliament of toughened immigration rules exposed deep cracks in Macron’s centrist majority. Macron himself promised a new political initiative.

In France, opinion polls show Macron’s party trailing that of far-right leader Marine Le Pen by some eight to ten points ahead of the June vote.

Elisabeth Borne was in the role of prime minister for less than two years (AP)

The French government, led by Borne, have struggled to deal with a more turbulent parliament to pass laws since losing their absolute majority shortly after Macron was reelected for a second mandate in 2022.

The president’s advisers say he has managed to pass the most challenging parts of his economic manifesto in the first year and a half of his second mandate, despite the lack of an absolute majority, and that future reforms, on education and euthanasia for instance, will be more consensual.

But Macron’s decision to use executive powers last year to pass a contested increase in the pension age to 64 triggered weeks of violent protests.