New French PM to Be Named within Hours
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - A new French prime minister will be named in the next few hours, the Elysee Palace said on Friday, as President Emmanuel Macron readies a reshuffle.
Prime Minister Edouard Philippe resigned earlier on Friday, a formal first step in any cabinet revamp. It was not immediately clear whether he would be called upon again to form the new government, Reuters reported.
Macron's move to refashion his centrist government comes after voters punished the former investment banker and his party in nationwide municipal elections.
The elections revealed surging support for the Green party and underlined Macron's troubles with left-leaning voters. The only bright spot for Macron was Philippe's own victory in the northern port city of Le Havre.
With only 21 months until the next presidential election, Macron wants to reposition himself, close advisers say.
It would be a political gamble for Macron to replace Philippe, who is more popular with the public than the president, political analysts say. The prime minister has shown steadfast loyalty during waves of unrest and could emerge as a presidential rival in 2022.
But keeping Philippe in office could be problematic too. It could suggest that Macron was too weak to let go of his prime minister and that his young party lacked the depth to allow for a full-blooded cabinet overhaul.
Moreover, Macron poached Philippe from the center-right opposition and holding onto him would complicate winning back leftist voters.
