PARIS – French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday named Elizabeth Bourne as his new prime minister, choosing a politician with a leftist credential to lead his government as he seeks to secure his mandate in next month’s legislative elections.
Macron will widely announce the name of a female prime minister – only second in French history – with leftist leanings and an environmental political background.
As a former ecology minister at the core of left-wing politics but respected even among center-right, Bourne has been featured for weeks as a top contender who will live up to Macron’s promise to unite the country, but also reflect his campaign to left-wing voters. .
Bourne replaces Jean Castex, 56, who completed the French government in mid-2020 and runs the government business through most epidemics. Castex was originally associated with the center-right.
“For almost two years, he has performed with passion and commitment in the service of France,” Macron said of Castex on Monday.
Despite Macron’s praise for the outgoing prime minister, Castex’s resignation never seemed dubious. In France, major changes to the government’s agenda often accompany the appointment of a new prime minister, and Macron has repeatedly said he would like to see his second mandate look different from his first.
“I have no interest in doing another five years,” Macron said last month. “I want five years of their complete renewal.”
