Elisabeth Borne sworn in as France’s new prime minister, becomes second woman PM after 30 years

French President Emmanuel Macron picked Labour Minister Elisabeth Borne as his new prime minister on Monday.

As he prepares for legislative elections in June – only the second time in 30 years that a woman has got the job.

“I want to dedicate my nomination to all little girls and tell them to go all the way pursuing your dreams”, Borne said in her inauguration speech.

Recently re-elected Macron, who needs to show he has heard the frustrations of voters expressed by low turnout and big support for the far right and far left, has been looking for premier with green and social policy credentials.

Such a profile could help counter the challenge mounted by hard-left veteran Jean-Luc Melenchon who achieved a strong third place in the presidential election, giving him the opportunity to rally a broad coalition of left-leaning parties in the June 12-19 parliamentary vote.

In a brief inaugural address, Borne said that the country needed to act “faster and stronger” to fight climate change and pledged to further work to protect the French`s purchasing power, the No. 1 voter concern according to polls.

Borne, 61, will be the first woman named as prime minister since Edith Cresson briefly occupied the office during the presidency of Socialist leader Francois Mitterrand in the early 1990s.

“It was really time there was another woman (in that position) and I know Mrs. Borne is a remarkable person with a lot of experience…I think it is a very good choice,” Cresson told BFM television.