Elisabeth Borne remains French Prime Minister despite unrest in the country

(Patria) - French President Emmanuel Macron has decided to keep Elisabeth Borne as Prime Minister, an official from the President's office said, rejecting pressure to give his government a new direction after a turbulent few months, Reuters reports.

Months of unrest and strikes over pension reform in the spring, as well as five days of riots and looting earlier this month, have fueled calls from political opponents and some government insiders for a reshuffle. But with no clear candidate to replace Borne, whom critics say lacks charisma and supporters say has already fulfilled many of Macron's campaign promises, he has decided to keep her at the head of the government. "To ensure stability and in-depth work, the President has decided to keep the Prime Minister," Macron's office announced.

French media report that Borne is working on "adjustments," a sign that there may only be a technical change that will not lead to changes in top portfolios such as the Ministry of Finance.

Rumors of a possible government reshuffle emerged after sudden riots, triggered by the police killing of a teenager, which is one of the most serious challenges to Macron's leadership to date. Macron said last week that he needed more time to develop policies in response to the riots.

That is why he said last week that he decided not to give an interview on July 14, the deadline he set for himself in April to relaunch his second term and heal the tensions over pension reform. A source close to Macron told Reuters that changing the Prime Minister now makes no sense, as Macron's minority government has failed to reach an agreement with potential right-wing conservative allies in parliament. Macron has kept open the option of offering a position as Prime Minister to the conservative Republicans as a reward for a formal coalition, the source added.