[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Saeng-hye] French President Emmanuel Macron has decided to replace the Prime Minister to reform the government following the ruling party's defeat in the local elections.
The ?lys?e Palace, the French presidential office, announced on the 3rd (local time) that the cabinet led by Prime Minister ?douard Philippe submitted its resignation to President Macron, who accepted it.
The next Prime Minister nominee is expected to be announced later that day.
Prime Minister Philippe was elected mayor of Le Havre, a port city in the Normandy region, in the local elections held on the 28th of last month. The French constitution allows central government ministers to concurrently hold local government positions.
After Philippe was elected mayor of Le Havre, there was speculation in French political circles that President Macron would replace Prime Minister Philippe, whose approval ratings in polls were nearly 10 percentage points higher than Macron's amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Considering the ruling centrist party La R?publique En Marche (LREM) suffered a crushing defeat in the local elections and the center-left camp led by the Green Party made significant gains, it was expected that a prominent left-leaning politician would be appointed as the new Prime Minister to reorganize the cabinet and use this as an opportunity for government reform.
There was also analysis that President Macron, seeking re-election in the 2022 presidential election, would replace the centrist-right Philippe to prevent him from rising further as a presidential candidate within the right-wing camp.
The list of cabinet members led by the new Prime Minister is expected to be announced early next week.
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