<P> The French Prime Minister (French: Premier ministre français) in the Fifth Republic is the head of government and of the Council of Ministers of France . During the Third and Fourth Republics, the head of government position was called President of the Council of Ministers (French: Président du Conseil des Ministres), generally shortened to President of the Council (French: Président du Conseil). </P> <P> The Prime Minister proposes a list of ministers to the President of the Republic . Decrees and decisions of the Prime Minister, like almost all executive decisions, are subject to the oversight of the administrative court system . Few decrees are taken after advice from the Council of State (French: Conseil d'État). All prime ministers defend the programs of their ministry, and make budgetary choices . The extent to which those decisions lie with the Prime Minister or President depends upon whether they are of the same party . </P> <P> Manuel Valls was appointed to lead the government in a cabinet reshuffle in March 2014, after the ruling Socialists suffered a bruising defeat in local elections . However, he resigned on 6 December 2016, to stand in the French Socialist Party presidential primary, 2017 and Bernard Cazeneuve was appointed as Prime Minister later that day by President François Hollande . Cazeneuve resigned on 10 May 2017 . Édouard Philippe was named his successor on 15 May 2017 . </P> <P> The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of the Republic, who can select whomever they want . While prime ministers are usually chosen from amongst the ranks of the National Assembly, on rare occasions the President has selected a non-officeholder because of their experience in bureaucracy or foreign service, or their success in business management--Dominique de Villepin, for example, served as Prime Minister from 2005 to 2007 without ever having held an elected office . </P>

Who has been appointed as the new prime minister of france