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French prime minister Edouard Philippe resigns

French prime minister Edouard Philippe has resigned, with a government reshuffle expected in the coming days.

The official statement did not say whether whether Mr Philippe will be replaced, or will stay on as the head of a new government.

President Emmanuel Macron is seeking to boost the two remaining years of his term with a focus on efforts to relaunch the French economy after the coronavirus crisis.

Emmanuel Macron
President Emmanuel Macron (AP)

The reshuffle comes days after a green wave swept over France in local elections.

Mr Macron saw his centrist party being defeated in France’s biggest cities and stumbling across the country.

The reshuffle was planned even before the vote, as Mr Macron’s government faced obstacles and criticism before Sunday’s election as the virus crisis unfolded.