France’s departing Prime Minister, Sebastien Lecornu, was set to launch a final attempt on Tuesday to secure bipartisan support for a new cabinet aimed at resolving the country’s political stalemate. President Emmanuel Macron assigned Lecornu, 39, the task of forming a new government in early September after his predecessor was ousted by parliament due to an unpopular budget plan.
Lecornu revealed a revamped cabinet on Sunday night but faced criticism for retaining many members from the previous administration, leading to his resignation on Monday morning. However, Lecornu agreed later on Monday to President Macron’s request for a two-day effort to salvage the government.
A presidential official, speaking anonymously, stated that Macron had instructed Lecornu to finalize negotiations by Wednesday evening to establish a plan of action and stability for the nation. The official hinted that Macron was prepared to take action, potentially including calling for new legislative elections, if the negotiations failed.
Lecornu was scheduled to meet with party leaders starting from 9:00 am to address the deadlock at the prime minister’s office. France has been in a political crisis for over a year following a hung parliament resulting from snap elections called by Macron in mid-2024. The ongoing chaos precedes the 2027 presidential elections, which are anticipated to be a pivotal moment in French politics, with the far-right led by Marine Le Pen sensing an opportunity to seize power.
Edouard Philippe, a former prime minister and potential center-right candidate in the upcoming presidential elections, criticized the current political situation as a “disturbing political maneuver.” He called on Macron to consider early presidential elections once the 2026 budget was approved.
Within Macron’s own party, Gabriel Attal, a former prime minister and current leader of the centrist party, expressed confusion over Macron’s decisions on Monday evening. He suggested that it was time to explore new approaches after the succession of prime ministers.
Le Pen recommended Macron’s resignation while advocating for immediate legislative elections. The leader of the far-right National Rally (RN), Jordan Bardella, expressed readiness to take on governing responsibilities.
Lecornu faces a challenging task ahead as various political leaders have different demands. Socialist party leader Olivier Faure called for a shift towards a left-wing government, while Bruno Retailleau, leader of the right-wing Republicans and outgoing interior minister, expressed willingness to cooperate with Macron’s centrists as long as his party retained sufficient representation.
France’s recent political turmoil stemmed from the parliamentary ousting of Lecornu’s predecessors, Francois Bayrou and Michel Barnier, due to disagreements over budgetary matters. The next prime minister will need to navigate the challenge of garnering support for the spending bill in a chamber where Macron’s supporters are a minority.
The crisis unfolds against the backdrop of France’s escalating public debt, which now stands as the third-highest in the European Union after Greece and Italy, nearing double the EU’s permitted debt-to-GDP ratio of 60 percent. Macron has resisted calls for fresh parliamentary elections and ruled out early resignation before the end of his term in 2027. The possibility of appointing a new prime minister, potentially the eighth during Macron’s presidency, remains a consideration, although it would require significant reforms to ensure sustainability.