how did Elisabeth Borne save her place at Matignon?

This is the end of a suspense that will have lasted more than three months. Elisabeth Borne remains at Matignon, despite the eventful sequence of retreats, despite the riots, and despite several disagreements with the head of state. How did the Prime Minister manage to save her place? “It all happened this weekend. Emmanuel Macron chose continuity in an unstable period, that’s understandable”, defends a member of the majority. For the defenders of the Prime Minister, the president has every interest in keeping her. Her tenacity paid off, and she got around 20 bills passed. “She is solid, she has the support of the majority, and above all, she is a lightning rod”, confides a ministerial adviser.

Redesign in the next few days

“His loyalty to the president and his sense of duty are stronger than anything”, adds a close friend of Elisabeth Borne. After the pension reform, Emmanuel Macron instructed Elisabeth Borne to widen the majority by grabbing the votes of certain right-wing deputies. Mission not really accomplished, but a minister concedes it: “The rare pearl capable of rounding up 40 LR deputies does not exist, we have to face the facts!”. Behind the scenes, there was talk of ousting Elisabeth Borne, but who would have replaced her? The Darmanin hypothesis, marked on the right, has been mentioned, but according to an influential MP from the majority, “Gérald Darmanin is very divisive, and the Renaissance deputies from the left did not want it.”

Elisabeth Borne therefore remains a tenant of Matignon, but until when? “He wants to wring it out and wear it down to the bone”says a close to the majority. “It’s a CDD extension, not a CDI. She will spend the summer to better get fired in the fall after the budget period”, adds a minister. In the meantime, Elisabeth Borne has a new mission: a reshuffle in the next few days. A dozen ministers could be replaced.