According to preliminary data, Philippe has won the municipal elections in the port city of Le Havre, where he had previously served as mayor, with more than 58.8 percent of the vote. The French constitution allows Philippe to appoint another candidate to the mayor's post while he continues to serve as prime minister.
According to the poll, 55 percent of French citizens want to see Philippe as prime minister, and 44 percent want a new one. One percent of the respondents abstained.
Notably, in a similar poll last year, 48 percent of the French supported the candidacy of Philippe as prime minister, while 51 percent were in favor of appointing a new prime minister, with the same 1 percent of those refraining from an answer.
The second round of municipal elections, which was supposed to be held on March 22, was postponed due to the self-isolation regime caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. At the end of May, the French authorities approved June 28 as the new date for the second round.
