Who is Edouard Philippe?
In short
Edouard Philippe is a French politician who served as the Prime Minister of France from 2017 to 2020. He is currently the Mayor of Le Havre.
In plain words
He is a high-ranking leader in the French government. He worked closely with President Emmanuel Macron to run the country during a very busy time. Now, he focuses on leading his home city, Le Havre, which is a large port town on the coast.
A simple example
Imagine a school where the Headteacher makes the big rules, but the Deputy Head manages the daily work and makes sure everything runs smoothly. Edouard Philippe was like the Deputy Head for the whole country of France.
Why it matters
He is important because he led the French government during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This meant he had to make very difficult decisions about lockdowns and health rules that affected millions of people.
Easy to mix up
People sometimes confuse him with Emmanuel Macron. While Macron is the President and the top leader of France, Philippe was the Prime Minister who helped carry out the government's plans.