After the election - France is looking for a new prime minister. But how much power will he actually have?
On the day following the surprising result of the parliamentary election, France must reorganize itself. The right-wing shift is weaker than anticipated – in the newly elected National Assembly, the new Left Alliance has won according to the preliminary official results. The Centrist bloc of President Emmanuel Macron comes in second place, and the Rassemblement National of Marine Le Pen ranks third. The Interior Ministry in Paris made this known without assigning any of the elected deputies to one of the major camps. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced her resignation.
However, why is the Prime Minister taking consequences, not President Macron?
The French President has certain rights according to the constitution that he can exercise without control from other constitutional bodies. These include the appointment of prime ministers, the dissolution of the National Assembly, and the declaration of a state of emergency. Additionally, Charles de Gaulle, the first President of the V Republic (since 1958), shaped the role of the Chief of State and went beyond the constitution in doing so. In foreign, security, and European policy, as well as in any inward political sphere he deemed important, de Gaulle determined – and not the Prime Minister – the policy. French Presidents still orient themselves towards this model today. The fact that the Head of State is directly elected by the people grants him additional legitimacy.
The Role of the Prime Minister in France
On the other hand, the French Prime Minister conducts the affairs of government and proposes to the President the Ministers and Ministers-of-State, who are then appointed. The Prime Minister is responsible to the parliament and reliant on the President's trust. Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, the government determines and steers the "policy of the nation," which primarily involves inward political decisions.
It is unclear whether President Macron will accept Borne's resignation and appoint a Leftist as Prime Minister. In such a configuration, Macron would lose power, while the Prime Minister, who leads the governmental affairs, would become more prominent. It is also possible that Macron keeps Borne in office temporarily to postpone the government reshuffle until after the NATO summit and the Olympic Games. Another possibility is that Macron appoints an independent expert as Prime Minister, following the example of Mario Draghi in Italy. The situation in France remains uncertain – and intriguing.
- Despite the Rassemblement National of Marine Le Pen ranking third in the parliamentary election, France, under the leadership of President Emmanuel Macron, must navigate its new political landscape in the National Assembly.
- Gabriel Attal, a key figure in President Macron's centrist bloc, noted the strength of the Left Alliance's victory and suggested a potential collaboration with Germany to form a new coalition government.
- However, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, who is responsible to the parliament and reliant on the President's trust, has decided to step down, leaving uncertainty about the future composition of the French government.
- In the aftermath of Borne's resignation, the French people and the international community await President Macron's decision on the appointment of a new Prime Minister, which could significantly shape France's domestic and foreign policy for the foreseeable future.
