Elisabeth Borne becomes France's first female prime minister in 30 years

[peppertree]

Source: The Guardian

Élisabeth Borne, the French Minister for Labour, has been appointed Prime Minister – the first woman to hold the post in more than 30 years and only the second female prime minister in modern French history.

“I dedicate this nomination to all the little girls in France, to tell them, ‘Follow your dreams’,” Borne said while taking office. “Nothing should stop the fight for women’s place in our society.”

Borne, 61, an engineer with a long career in government ministries, the senior civil service, public administration and state businesses, was chosen by Emmanuel Macron for the difficult task of delivering his complex policy promises at the start of his second term, against a background of rising inflation and the war in Ukraine.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/16/elisabeth-borne-becomes-frances-first-female-prime-minister-in-30-years

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Incoming French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne.

Borne comes from a centre-left background - crucial for Macron’s parliamentary election campaign.

She is the first French female prime minister since Édith Cresson, now 88, who briefly headed the cabinet in 1991-92 under President François Mitterrand.

[Recursion]

1. For all the press Le Pen got, the big news was that Melenchon nearly beat her in the first round

This is part of the pivot back towards the left that Macron needs to do to keep REM viable.

[peppertree]

2. And WOULD have beaten her if the left hadn't split in 4 different factions

And all 4 basically agreed on practically all policy - with the only differences being nuances and faces.

Fortunately, they now see the folly of splitting into factions - albeit a little too late.

Progressives in many western democracies have this problem - whereas typically, "moderate" conservatives gladly march lock-step with fascists (albeit with 'concerns').

[Recursion]

3. OMG it was maddening, here

Hidalgo was right: they should have held a straw poll before the first round. She said that even knowing she would lose it, but she couldn't get Jadot to sign on. Had Melenchon gotten even half of Hidalgo's and Jadot's 1st round votes, we would have seen a Macron/Melenchon second round. Macron probably would have won that, but my God would it have been a different election...

[peppertree]

4. C'est la vie

At least French democracy isn't under an imminent threat - even, I think, if Le Pen had won - the way it is here.

We're going down a slippery slope that's a little too similar to Latin America in the 1970s for comfort (with far-right Cubans playing some of the leading roles, to boot).

[littlemissmartypants]

5. I was fortunate to meet and share a stage with President Mitterrand.

His first words to me were "Vive la France." On this occasion I echo the sentiment. ❤

[peppertree]

6. Ah, bon!

Like most people, I only remember him from the news - but he always struck me as someone whose gears were turning non-stop. A man very much meant for that job.

Idealistic but plotting (if need be); dour and colorful all at once.

Thatcher disliked him intensely, so it was it said - and if so, I guess that's another point in his favor.

A man of great duality - as his wife knew so well.

[littlemissmartypants]

7. When we were introduced and were about to shake hands he pulled me so close I was

Prepared for a kiss on the cheek. Instead he whispered those three words in my ear and we took our places for the event. I've had a wonderful, interesting life. Thank you for the reply, peppertree. ❤

[peppertree]

8. You're welcome - and thanks for sharing!

Nothing like first-hand experiences.

Bon soir!

[littlemissmartypants]

9. Bon soir...❤

[onetexan]

10. Duality being the proper word here

At his funeral on one side stood his wife & their 2 legitimate 2 children, and on the other his mistress and their illegitimate adult child. When the conservative american press asked some random french people to comment on the subject, they shrugged their shoulders and said, "He's a great president. what he does in his own time is his business."

C'est bon.

[peppertree]

11. Exactement!

Would it that we had been more like that in the '90s. We would've been spared many of the calamities that followed.