Despite its minority status as a result of the June 2022 legislative election, the Borne government had survived multiple votes of no confidence in the National Assembly: one in July 2022 after Macron's refusal to accept the government's resignation, three in October 2022 in response to the use of constitutional article 49.3 by the government to pass a social security bill, and two in March 2023, again in response of the use of article 49.3 to pass a pension reform bill.
The Borne government was reshuffled twice, first in July 2022, second in July 2023.
Just about a month into its tenure, the Borne government fought the 2022 French legislative elections on the 12 and 19 June. Throughout the campaign, the government faced several political controversies such as rape accusations against newly appointed Minister for Solidarity Damien Abad and the 2022 UEFA Champions League final chaos and its handling that drew widespread criticism at home and abroad.
In the first round, Macron's Ensemble coalition finished 1st, but almost tied with the left-wing NUPES coalition in the popular vote (25.8% vs. 25.7%). The National Rally (RN) came in third, with 18.7% of the votes. When compared with the 2017 legislative election's results, it represented a sharp decline from the 32.3% of votes Macron's coalition had attracted 5 years earlier. Nonetheless, the governing coalition was projected to retain its absolute majority, though by a razor-thin margin, in the second round by most pollsters.
In the second round, the Borne government unexpectedly lost its parliamentary majority and the legislative election resulted in a hung parliament for the first time since 1988. The government, which enjoyed a 115-seat majority before the election, now fell 38 seats short of an overall majority, making it the weakest Cabinet in the history of the Fifth Republic. Additionally, 2 senior ministers and 1 junior minister lost their seats in the parliamentary elections and therefore had to resign: Brigitte Bourguignon (Health), Amélie de Montchalin (Ecological Transition) and Justine Bénin (junior minister for the Sea).
Borne, speaking from the Hôtel Matignon, told the French: "Tonight the situation is unprecedented. Never has the National Assembly known such a configuration under the Fifth Republic. This situation poses a risk for our country given the challenges we have to face both at home and abroad".
Following the failure to secure a majority in the June elections but also as a republican custom after parliamentary elections, Elisabeth Borne offered her resignation to President Macron on the 21 June, but he refused it and asked her government to remain in office. Thus, Macron broke with an old unwritten rule under which, after parliamentary elections, the Prime Minister formally resigns and is re-appointed by the President, with the task of forming a new government.
On the 21 and 22 June, Macron held talks with the leaders of parties represented in parliament in an effort to secure a working majority either by forming a coalition government with an opposition party or by forming a national unity Government. The talks failed to produce any tangible result. On 22 June, Macron addressed the Nation, acknowledging there was no majority in the new Assembly and calling on the "spirit of responsibility" of all political parties.
At the end of the month, Borne in turn held talks with parliamentary leaders from the opposition in order to find common ground and break the political deadlock in sight. The talks again failed.
On 4 July, Borne officially formed a minority government and Macron reshuffled the Cabinet on her proposal: senior ministers personally defeated in June were replaced and several new junior ministers were appointed, but in general manner, there was no significant change from the cabinet appointed in May. The same day, the Government's spokesperson, Olivier Véran, announced that the Government would not seek a vote of confidence in the lower house as it is customary (but not obligatory).
On 5 July, the Borne government easily survived a motion of no-confidence tabled by the left-wing NUPES coalition.
16th legislature
On 20 March 2023, the Borne government narrowly survived a cross-party motion of no-confidence, clinging onto office by only 9 votes (278 votes against the government, therefore failing to reach the 287-threshold required to bring down the Cabinet), over the use of constitutional article 49.3 to push through the 2023 pension reform bill in the National Assembly.[2]
Motion of no confidence tabled by LIOT and NUPES MPs
On 12 June 2023, the Borne Cabinet survived its 17th motion of no-confidence since the beginning of the 16th legislature: the motion, brought forward by left-wing NUPES coalition in response to the use of constitutional article 40 to block an opposition-sponsored amendment reintroducing the 62-year retirement age on the centrist LIOT group's opposition day, was defeated with only 239 votes, 50 votes short of the 289-threshold required to overthrow the government.[3]
In April 2023, speaking in the immediate aftermath of the contentious debates over his pension system reform, President Macron asked his government for a "hundred days of appeasement and action", citing ecology, work, social progress, justice and republican order as top priorities for the next months and told the Nation that he would assess the progress made at the end of the political period. Additionally, Macron again invited Prime Minister Borne to broaden her parliamentary support by forging "new coalitions and alliances" since her government found itself 38 shy of an overall majority in Parliament as a result of the June 2022 legislative election.
Over the 100-day period, the Borne government oversaw little legislative progress on the issues deemed as top priorities by Macron: following the difficult passage of the pension system reform, the government entered discussions with trade unions on a future Bill regarding life at work, a full employment Bill was passed by the Senate in first reading early July, the introduction of the immigration and asylum Bill was postponed amid fears of defeat in Parliament and diverse announcements related to the youth and the education system were made. Regarding the minority status of her government in legislature, Borne again failed to form a stable majority government and had to carry on her approach of working with moderate opposition parties to advance legislation, on a case-by-case basis, through Parliament.
Even though protests and street violence related to the pension reform calmed down throughout the weeks, which was deemed a success for Macron and his administration, France saw several days of race riots and widespread unrest in early Summer following the killing of the 17-year-old Nahel M. during a traffic stop by the police.
Despite rumors about a potential change of Prime Minister, on 17 July 2023, the Élysée Palace confirmed reports that Macron had asked Borne to remain in office and invited her to make proposals for a government reshuffle.
On 20 July, the new composition of the Cabinet was announced: 8 new ministers were appointed, 3 senior Cabinet ministers (Education, Health and Solidarity) and 5 junior ministers. Additionally, State Secretary to the Prime Minister Marlène Schiappa, a prominent figure of the Macron Presidency since 2017, was sacked.
Initial composition
On 20 May 2022, the composition of the government (excluding the Prime Minister) was announced by Alexis Kohler from the steps of the Élysée Palace. The members of the previous government remained in office to deal with current and urgent matters until the appointment of the new government, as provided for in the French Constitution.
Change of the composition of the government in June 2022
In June 2022 Yaël Braun-Pivet resigned to be a candidate for the presidency of the National Assembly. She was replaced, as interim, by Elisabeth Borne.
Change of the composition of the government in July 2022
Following the French legislative elections, a change in the composition of the government was announced on 4 July 2022.
The reshuffle of the Borne government comes following the 2022 legislative elections. Emmanuel Macron's party La République En Marche! with the Ensemble coalition did not obtain an absolute majority in the National Assembly but only a relative majority. This therefore forced Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne to review her government to be more in line with the new legislature. In particular, the president and then the prime minister met with the party leaders and then the leaders of the parliamentary groups in order to find if the idea of a coalition government can be implemented.
In April 2023, speaking in the immediate aftermath of the contentious debates over his pension system reform, President Macron asked his government for a "hundred days of appeasement and action", citing ecology, work, social progress, justice and republican order as top priorities for the next months and told the Nation that he would assess the progress made at the end of the political period. Additionally, Macron again invited Prime Minister Borne to broaden her parliamentary support by forging "new coalitions and alliances" since her government found itself 38 shy of an overall majority in Parliament as a result of the June 2022 legislative election.
Despite rumors about a potential change of Prime Minister at the end of the 100-day period, on 17 July 2023, the Élysée Palace confirmed reports that Macron had asked Borne to remain in office and invited her to make proposals for a government reshuffle.
On 20 July 2023, a change in the composition of the government was announced.
Change of the composition of the government in September 2023/October 2023
In September 2023, State Secretary for Citizenship Sonia Backès resigned after being defeated in the 2023 Senate election. She was replaced on 10 October 2023 by Sabrina Agresti-Roubache, who gained the Citizenship portfolio in addition to Cities Portfolio.[4]
Change of the composition of the government in December 2023
In December 2023, Health Minister Aurélien Rousseau resigned from the government over his opposition to the "controversial" immigration bill passed by the French Parliament and backed by the Cabinet.[5] Hours later, Agnès Firmin-Le Bodo was appointed as Minister of Health and Prevention.
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