Revealed On 9 Sep 2025
French President Emmanuel Macron has named his defence minister and shut ally, Sebastien Lecornu, as the brand new prime minister after Prime Minister Francois Bayrou resigned after dropping a confidence vote.
Lecornu, 39, the fifth prime minister in lower than two years, has main challenges forward, together with resolving a deepening political disaster as protests loom within the coming days.
“The President of the Republic has entrusted me with the duty of constructing a authorities with a transparent route: the defence of our independence and energy, the service of the French individuals, and political and institutional stability for the unity of the nation,” the incoming prime minister stated.
The French parliament – the Nationwide Meeting – on Monday voted to take away Bayrou over his proposed $51bn in funds cuts to handle the nation’s debt disaster. The formal handover of energy between Bayrou and Lecornu is because of happen on Wednesday.
Macron’s choice to decide on Lecornu, analysts say, is a sign that he intends to proceed on with a minority authorities that helps his pro-business financial reform agenda. Within the 577-member Nationwide Meeting, the left bloc, which has opposed Macron’s pro-business coverage, has most seats however not sufficient to type a authorities.
The appointment of Lecornu, a one-time conservative, dangers alienating France’s centre-left Socialist Get together, which leaves Macron’s authorities relying on Marine Le Pen and the far-right Nationwide Rally for help in parliament.
“No matter Sebastien Lecornu’s private qualities, his nomination is a slap within the face of parliament,” Philippe Brun, the Socialist lawmaker who has been accountable for funds negotiations, advised Reuters.
Nevertheless, Jordan Bardella, seen as Le Pen’s protege, appeared keen to offer Lecornu an opportunity.
“We are going to decide, with out phantasm, the brand new prime minister on his deserves,” he stated, including that the get together nonetheless saved strict “pink traces”.
Bayrou’s downfall and France’s instability
France, the European Union’s second-biggest financial system, appears getting ready to yet one more interval of instability.
The quick purpose for Bayrou’s fall was his funds proposal for subsequent yr. His unpopular 44-billion-euro ($51bn) deficit-reduction plan, together with freezing most welfare spending and scrapping two public holidays, has been extensively rejected by parliamentarians.
The French funds deficit is now almost 169 billion euros ($198bn), or 5.8 p.c of its gross home product (GDP), effectively above the three p.c restrict set by the European Union for nations utilizing the euro. Traders fear that France’s persistent deficits will trigger ever-higher debt ratios and undermine its credit score rating.
Earlier than Monday’s vote, Bayrou warned lawmakers: “You’ve got the ability to carry down the federal government, however you would not have the ability to erase actuality. Actuality will stay relentless: bills will proceed to rise, and the burden of debt, already insufferable, will develop heavier and extra pricey.”
The prime minister’s proposals got here on prime of Macron’s unpopular 2023 transfer to increase France’s retirement age by two years to 64. On the time, the president argued that extreme pension funds had been a drag on the nation’s funds.
Protests anticipated round France
As Macron grapples with the collapse of his fourth authorities in lower than two years, French residents are planning to take to the streets this week in “Block Every little thing” protests.
The motion, which lacks centralised management and planning, is threatening widespread disruption this week.
“The general public authorities and the federal government have betrayed us a lot that I’m undecided they’ll actually meet the expectations of the individuals,” Louise Nechin, a left-wing activist in Paris, advised Reuters.
The protests have drawn comparisons with 2018’s “yellow vest” demonstrations, with protesters on the time setting fireplace to makeshift barricades and automobiles.
The November 2018 protests, which started over deliberate hikes in diesel taxes, widened into an rebellion in opposition to Macron’s insurance policies and have become the most important problem to his presidency on the time.