Elisabeth Borne

French PM offers to ease pension overhaul to win conservatives' backing

France — Link

Since President Emmanuel Macron's party lost its absolute majority last year, the government under prime minister Élisabeth Borne needs votes from the conservative Les Républicains to pass the unpopular reform in parliament.

Why the French government must drop its brutal and unfair pension reforms

Politique — Opinion

The pension changes proposed by President Emmanuel Macron – the fourth reform in twenty years and which in this case will push the retirement age back from 62 to 64 - will leave no one better off. The demonstrators who have taken to the streets on January 19th and January 31st have fully grasped that point, say Mediapart's Stéphane Alliès, Carine Fouteau and Dan Israel in this op-ed article. They argue that the stubbornness shown by the government, which looks set to force the reforms through the French Parliament, represents a danger to democracy.

France signals flexibility in face of pension reform resistance

France — Link

Prime minister Élisabeth Borne told French radio that raising the age of retirement to  65 was "not set in stone".

French government prepares high-stakes pension reform

France — Link

President Emmanuel Macron has made clear the French will have to work longer, with the legal retirement age potentially pushed by as much as three years to 65.

Covid is back, says French PM

France — Link

France detects daily average of around 40,000 new Covid cases over the last week.

France orders oil staff back to work amid fuel strikes

France — Link

Despite a deal, the refinery strikes continue, which prime minister Élisabeth Borne says the government ‘cannot accept.’

No-confidence vote against Macron’s government fails

France — Link

The leftwing NUPES coalition triggered the motion in the wake of prime minister Élisabeth Borne’s first major speech to the National Assembly.

French PM confirms EDF nationalisation and pensions reform

France — Link

French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne, addressing Parliament with the first policy speech of her new government, announced that France's debt-laden energy giant EDF is to be nationalised, that a reform of the pension system was 'indispensable', and promised an imminent introduction of measures to ease the growing cost of living crisis.

Macron’s new government: more of the same from a president in denial

France — Analysis

A new French government was announced on Monday, replacing the smaller interim government formed following Emmanuel Macron’s re-election as president in April. It also follows the stinging losses of Macron’s centre-right party in June’s legislative elections, after which the president pledged to honour what he called “the will for change that the country has clearly expressed”. But instead, writes Ilyes Ramdani in this presentation and analysis of the new government, the 41-strong ministerial line-up is simply a larger helping of more of the same.  

Macron asks PM Élisabeth Borne to try to form new government

France — Link

Macron said he had instructed Borne to conduct new consultations with parliamentary groups to form a "government of action" for early July.

Macron turns down French PM Borne's resignation offer

France — Link

Meanwhile, Macron’s discussions with opposition leaders will start on Tuesday with Christian Jacob, head of the rightwing Les Républicains (LR) party, which could be courted to give the president a parliamentary majority.

French PM sees climate, health and cost of living as top priorities

France — Link

Élisabeth Borne spoke after a meeting of ministers to outline the priorities of her new government for the coming months.

Macron's new government under Élisabeth Borne: same old recipe, even less novelty

France — Analysis

After a delay of 26 days, on Friday May 20th Emmanuel Macron finally appointed the 27 members of the new government under recently-installed prime minister Élisabeth Borne. As Ilyes Ramdani reports, its composition is strikingly similar to the old government and is still anchored firmly to the right. Historian Pap Ndiaye, who was a surprise appointment as minister of education, represents something of an anomaly alongside the rest of the ministerial team.

Macron opts for continuity in government reshuffle

France — Link

President Emmanuel Macron retained his finance and interior ministers while appointing only the second woman to head France's foreign ministry. 

Why Élysée's bid to portray new French premier as leftwing is all smoke and mirrors

France — Opinion

As far as his party and some commentators are concerned, Emmanuel Macron sent a “signal to the Left” this week by appointing Élisabeth Borne as France's new prime minister. It is a sleight of hand that would be laughable if it did not also highlight how the head of state is continuing his attempts to deconstruct the French political arena, argues Mediapart political reporter Ellen Salvi in this opinion article.