Macron appoints Elisabeth Borne as French Prime Minister

The newly re-elected President appointed France’s second female Prime Minister in a ceremony on May 16.

It comes after Jean Castex resigned from office after France’s 2022 election, which successfully re-elected Macron.

But who is the new prime minister? And why did Jean Castex resign because of Macron’s re-election?

Here’s everything you need to know.

Ms. Borne is a politician and a member of La République En Marche! (LREM).

Previously, she was Minister of Labour, Employment and Inclusion in France from 2020 to 2022.

Ms. Borne has been a supporter of Macron since his first election, voting for him in the presidential election and switching parties from the Socialist Party to the LREM.

She is France’s second prime minister, the first being Edith Cresson, who served from 1991-1999, and will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of Macron’s controversial pension reform.

Ahead of her appointment, an unidentified minister said: “She has a very good track record and if we are to achieve full employment then appointing a labor minister is a sensible move.”

Macron, who won the French election with 58.5% of the vote after running against far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, is said to have personally voted for Ms Borne as prime minister because of her dissenting views on previous appointments.

Previously, in his first term in office, he had elected two conservative-leaning ministers, including Jean Castex.

Having been associated with the Socialist Party in the past, Ms. Borne’s appointment marks a leftward shift for the position.

Macron’s decision is said to have stemmed from a desire to appoint someone “strong on social issues, environmental issues and production issues”.

The re-elected leader wants to reform France’s state pensions and lower the retirement age from 62 to 64 or 65.

Mr Castex was Prime Minister of France from 2020 to 2022.

The former minister announced his intention to step down from the position should Macron be re-elected in the 2022 election.

This is a tradition in elections in France, when the previous government gives way to a new cabinet.

Mr Castex said ahead of the election: “I’m among those who think that after the president’s re-election, a new impetus should be found.”