France: Prime Minister Elisabeth Bourne resigns Education Minister Gabriel Attal appears to be the most likely candidate to succeed her

French Prime Minister, Elizabeth BourneHe submitted his resignation to the president on Monday Emmanuel Macronamid rumors of a deep restructuring of the government to consolidate the centrist leader's second term.

“Madam Prime Minister, dear Elizabeth Bourne, your work in serving our nation has been exemplary every day,” he wrote. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.” Macron On social network X, After accepting his resignation.

The French presidency said that the name of his successor would be known on Tuesday morning. The current Minister of Education, Gabriel Attal (34 years old), is considered the most likely candidate to succeed her.According to what sources close to the executive authority reported.

The future tenant of Matignon, the headquarters of the Prime Minister, must encourage “industrial, economic and European” as well as “civilian” rearmament, which is what the French president promised on December 31 to continue his second term until 2027.

Born, a technocratic officialIn May 2022, she became the second woman to head the French government as Prime Minister, after Macron was re-elected after defeating far-right Marine Le Pen in a run-off.

but 20 months for him As head of a government that does not have an absolute majority in Parliament It was characterized by intense political tensions, such as during the pension reform imposed by decreeAnd an episode of urban unrest in mid-2023.

However, the approval in December of A Immigration reformThe government's stranglehold on obtaining right-wing support divided the ruling party, especially when the far right celebrated the “ideological victory” of the new law.

In his resignation letter, seen by Agence France-Presse, Bourne (62 years old), who managed to survive nearly thirty censure petitions in nearly two years, considered that “continuing reforms is more necessary than ever before.”

European elections and the Olympic Games

Electing his successor appears to be crucial to trying to preserve it The fragile balance of Macron’s centrist coalition, With MPs even from the centre-left, in the context of increasingly right-wing public opinion.

Attal, who joined Macron's ranks after leaving the Socialist Party, has built a assertive image as education minister With measures such as banning the abaya – a garment worn by Muslim women – in school.

The European Parliament elections in June 2024 will serve as a thermometer for rebuilding. Le Pen's party leads the polls with 27% of the vote, followed by Macron's party (19%), according to a poll conducted by Opinionway in mid-December.

If appointed, Attal will become the youngest Prime Minister of the French Republic and the first openly gay, and the challenges he faces will be stopping the far right and running the government during the Olympic Games in Paris.

According to a recent poll, a third of the French demanded his promotion. “He is popular, young and someone who was completely created by Macron,” said one minister, who asked to remain anonymous.