French presidency says PM Edouard Philippe and his government have resigned

[ucrdem]

14. It seems the current constitution (ca 1958) strengthened the office

and restored the title of "prime minister" to what had previously been the president of the council of ministers, or French cabinet, appointed by the president but directly answerable to the National Assembly, i.e. French congress. His responsibility was and remains to form and run "the government," meaning the council of ministers.

The problem previously was that the PM was at the mercy of the National Assembly who frequently dissolved the government leaving France with caretaker governments between appointments.

The current system, i.e. the Fifth Republic founded by de Gaulle in 1958, gives the PM charge of the government, but limits the control exercised by the National Assembly. The Assembly still has sole power to dismiss the PM, so technically Macron can't force Philippe to resign, but the president can "request" it. He can also ask his PM to form a new government, and apparently Macron had done that once already.

From various sources including: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_France