Borne, 62, was the second woman to lead the French government, and took the blame for many of Macron's problems. Her approval ratings hover near an all-time low of 23 percent, while Macron's approval ratings are slightly better at 27 percent, according to a recent Elabe poll.
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Last year, she was given the difficult task of trying to rally a parliamentary majority around Macron's unpopular plan to raise the retirement age by two years, which sparked months of protests. Ultimately, Macron ordered Bourne to bypass lawmakers to pass the reform using a constitutional maneuver known as Clause 49.3.
Opinion polls show that the rising far right, led by Marine Le Pen, ranks first in voting intentions, approximately ten points behind Macron's centrist coalition. Le Pen's growing popularity contrasts with declining support for Macron, raising fears that the anti-immigration and Eurosceptic politician could win the next presidential election in 2027.
Possible candidates to succeed Bourne include Education Minister Gabriel Attal (34 years old) and Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu (37 years old), both of whom will be France's youngest prime minister ever.
The reshuffle is likely to intensify the race within Macron's camp to succeed him in the next presidential election in 2027, with former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, Interior Minister Gérard Darmanin and Le Maire seen as potential candidates.
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