French president accepts prime minister’s resignation

Paris, July 16

French President Emmanuel Macron accepted the prime minister’s resignation on Tuesday but kept him on as head of a caretaker government. Macron’s office said in a statement that Macron “accepted” the resignation of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and other ministers on Tuesday.

Attal and other government members are “to handle current affairs until a new government is being appointed”, the statement said.

There is no firm timeline for when Macron must name a new prime minister.

France is about to host the Paris Olympic Games at the end of the month.

French media said the prime minister’s resignation is expected to be formally accepted by Macron by Tuesday evening.

The move would allow Attal to take up his seat as a lawmaker in the National Assembly, France’s powerful lower house of government, and lead the group of Macron’s centrist allies. — AP