PARIS, Dhu-AlQa'dah 27, 1437, Aug 30, 2016, SPA -- French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron resigned on Tuesday to work on proposals "to transform France", clearing the way for a presidential bid that will further unsettle an already wide-open race, Reuters reported. The 38-year-old former investment banker, one of France's most popular politicians, did not explicitly say he would run in the 2017 election but strongly hinted he would do so, a step he is now widely expected to take. "I am determined to do everything so our values, ideas and actions can transform France starting next year," Macron, who created his own political party, in April, said as he announced his resignation. He said he was stepping down because he "needed to be free" to work on a plan to transform the country. Macron's place in the government had become increasingly awkward after he repeatedly criticised left-wing totems like France's 35-hour work week and created his 'En Marche' (Forward) party, in April, casting it as leaning neither left nor right. A source in Macron's inner circle said the rapidly evolving political situation, in which former president Nicolas Sarkozy and two former Socialist ministers had declared their intention to run for president, had forced the hand of the minister, who the source said had initially planned to resign mid-September. -- SPA 22:06 LOCAL TIME 19:06 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w