portrait
Status: 05/17/2022 11:10 a.m
France’s new Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne embodies everything but a new beginning: she is considered a persistent negotiator and a Macron loyalist. She doesn’t have much time to convince the French.
Elisabeth Borne does not embody departure. It stands for continuity and efficiency. Her appearance at the handover in the courtyard of Matignon was uninspiring – but brief, unpretentious and concentrated. The 61-year-old technocrat takes over the duties of Jean Castex, the warm-hearted man from the provinces, who was surprisingly appointed to the head of government in 2020 and who was visibly moved to wish his successor luck in the evening: “I was able to work in the cabinet, dear Elisabeth, yours great qualities up close,” he enthused. “That’s what I want to say here before the nation: your integrity, your sincerity, your competence, your determination.”
The former head of the Paris transport company has led three ministries since 2017: transport, environment and labour. In her short speech, she emphasized that she wanted to pick up where her predecessor left off: “We have a lot in common, dear Jean. We share the conviction that politics can only succeed in dialogue. In dialogue with MPs, with the social partners the associations with which we have worked without ceasing.”
Loyal – or obeying orders?
Borne is considered a persistent and successful negotiator. Despite the initially massive resistance from the trade unions, she was able to implement the reform of the French state railway SNCF as Minister of Transport. Then – in her capacity as Minister for Ecological Change – she accompanied the Citizens’ Convention for the Climate together with President Emmanuel Macron.
As Labor Minister, she wrote the pension reform that was eventually shelved. She now has to get this through parliament as Prime Minister and also make climate policy a matter for the boss. Macron has already told her that.
The president seems to see in Borne the all-purpose weapon that the nation has puzzled over for three weeks since the presidential election. She, in turn, sees herself as a loyal collaborator of the president – some say as a recipient of orders.
“Fight for Women’s Place”
She is convinced that France must tackle “the ecological and climatic challenges” – and that this can be done “by involving the regional forces and the French as a whole even more” – Elisabeth Borne did not become more programmatic when she first appeared as Prime Minister.
But she sent a message: “I want to dedicate this appointment as Prime Minister to all little girls: make your dreams come true,” she said. “Nothing should slow down the struggle for women’s place in our society.”
However, the President does not appear to intend to give his Prime Minister much leeway. Macron wants to keep the reins in his hands. His congratulatory tweet – even before Borne had even spoken – read like a little solemn to-do list.
Borne doesn’t have much time to convince the French. The parliamentary elections are due in mid-June. Traditionally, should a political family other than the Macrons win a majority in the Assemblée National, the president would be forced to appoint the majority leader to head the government. So Borne is Prime Minister until further notice.