Rabat – French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne officially stepped down from her position on Monday, January 8, presenting her resignation and that of her government to President Emmanuel Macron, according to a statement released by the Elysee Palace.
In a message posted on X, formerly Twitter, Macron expressed heartfelt gratitude to the outgoing head of government for her “exemplary” service to the French nation. Borne and her team will continue to handle routine affairs until the appointment of a new government.
“Madam Prime Minister, dear Elisabeth Borne, your work in the service of our Nation has been exemplary every day. You have implemented our project with the courage, commitment and determination of state women. With all my heart, thank you,” Macron tweeted on January 8.
Borne, who had been in office since May 2022, expressed her passion for the mission in her resignation letter, acknowledging the shared commitment to achieving swift and tangible results for citizens.
“At a time when I must tender the resignation of my government, I wanted to tell you how passionate I have been about this mission, guided by the constant concern, which we share, to achieve rapid and tangible results for our fellow citizens,” wrote Borne, confirming the president’s will to appoint a new prime minister.
Despite a pre-meeting on Sunday, during which advisors had focused on discussions on “important issues” such as the cold snap and flooding, the specific reason for the meeting was not clarified.
In recent days, uncertainty has hovered over Borne’s future, with many close to Macron speculating on a major government reshuffle involving her departure.
According to a survey conducted by Odoxa-Backbone Consulting for Le Figaro, Gabriel Attal, the Minister of Education, emerges as a frontrunner in the race to succeed Borne at Matignon.
With 36% of the French population in favor of his appointment as prime minister, the 34-year-old Macronist outpaces Bruno Le Maire, the head of Bercy, by 5 points.
