Updated

France's European Affairs minister, Nathalie Loiseau, will lead President Emmanuel Macron's campaign in European Parliament elections in May.

Macron's party said Loiseau's candidacy will be formalized on Monday evening. As a consequence, Loiseau is expected to resign as a minister, leading to a probable government reshuffle in the coming days.

Loiseau, a career diplomat, joined Macron's government in June 2017 and was notably involved in the country's Brexit preparations.

She will head the centrist, pro-European campaign of Macron's party for the May 23-26 election in an effort to counter a populist and nationalist wave across the continent.

French polls suggest that Macron's party is ahead of the far-right, anti-immigrant National Rally.