The last woman prime minister, Edith Cressan, said the new prime minister would need a lot of courage.
Paris:
President Emanuel Macron today named Labor Minister Elizabeth Bourne as her new prime minister, the first woman to head the French government in 30 years, Elysee said in a statement.
The resigning French Prime Minister Jean Castex had previously resigned as part of a much-anticipated reshuffle to make room for a new government following Macron’s re-election in April.
The departure of Mr. Castex, who was an unexpected choice for the role in 2020, allows Macron to change cabinet ahead of important parliamentary elections in June.
The centrist will need a majority in the legislature to advance his domestic program after re-election, with the new left-wing alliance and the far-right threatening to block his program.
There has been a lot of speculation in recent weeks about replacing Mr Castex, with Macron saying he wants a woman with left-wing and environmental credentials.
These criteria reflect his desire to focus on schools and health early in the second term, as well as the climate crisis to which he promised to give priority.
The 61-year-old Bourne is seen as a capable technocrat who can reasonably negotiate with unions when the president embarks on a new package of social reforms that spark protests.
– “It takes a lot of courage” –
The last woman prime minister, Edith Cressan, told the Journal du Dimanche on Sunday that French politics remained “macho” for more than 30 years after she briefly headed the cabinet from May 1991 to April 1992 under President Francois Mitterrand.
“It will take a lot of courage,” Ms. Cressan said.
The 44-year-old Macron won a solid victory in the April 24 presidential election over far-right leader Marine Le Pen, winning 59 to 41 percent.
Ms. Le Pen and defeated hard-line leader Jean-Luc Melanchon are expected to return in the June 12 and 19 parliamentary elections, which will allow them to thwart Macron.
Mr Melenchon recently persuaded the Socialist, Communist and Green Parties to join an alliance led by him, which for the first time in decades unites the left around a common platform.
Mr Castex intended to resign immediately after the presidential election in line with French tradition, but Macron persuaded him to stay until he builds a replacement.
The 56-year-old man with glasses from rural southwestern France has a simple style and a strong regional accent that has been loved by many French people.
He will be best remembered for managing the final stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, holding regular television briefings on infection figures, outages and social distancing measures.
(Except for the headline, this story was not edited by NDTV staff and published from a syndicated tape.)
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