PARIS, Oct 10, 2025 — French President Emmanuel Macron reappointed Sebastien Lecornu as prime minister on Friday, just four days after Lecornu resigned, in an attempt to resolve a deepening political crisis that has paralyzed government formation and threatened the passage of a crucial budget.
The 39-year-old Lecornu, a close Macron ally and the country’s youngest-ever premier, accepted the role “out of duty,” pledging to form a new cabinet and secure a 2026 budget by year’s end. “We must put an end to this political crisis that exasperates the French people and to this instability that is harmful to France’s image and its interests,” Lecornu said in a statement on X. He outlined conditions for success, including open parliamentary debates on key issues, fiscal reforms to address a 5.4% deficit, a ban on ministers pursuing 2027 presidential ambitions, and a diverse government team.
Lecornu’s abrupt resignation on Monday came only 14 hours after he unveiled a new cabinet that failed to garner support from coalition partners in the fractured National Assembly. The lineup, criticized for lacking fresh faces and broader political input, collapsed amid opposition from centrists and conservatives, prompting Macron to accept the resignation and sparking calls for the president’s own ouster or fresh elections.
The reappointment marks France’s fourth government in less than a year, a level of instability unseen since the Fifth Republic’s founding in 1958. It follows snap legislative elections in June 2024, called by Macron after his party’s poor showing in European polls, which left parliament divided among left-wing, far-right and centrist blocs with no clear majority. Prior premiers, including Michel Barnier and earlier appointees, have fallen to no-confidence votes over budget disputes.
Macron’s office announced the decision late Friday after consultations with leaders from most parties, excluding the far-right National Rally (RN) and hard-left France Unbowed. The far right swiftly condemned the move, with RN president Jordan Bardella calling it a “bad joke, a democratic disgrace and a humiliation for the French people,” vowing an immediate no-confidence motion. Left-wing figures, including Socialist leader Olivier Faure and Green head Marine Tondelier, echoed the criticism, warning of swift censure unless Macron broadens the coalition.
France faces mounting pressure with public debt at record highs and EU scrutiny over fiscal slippages. Lecornu has proposed delaying a retirement age increase to 64 until 2028, but analysts doubt it will sway opponents. The Bank of France has warned that prolonged turmoil could further drag on growth, already projected at 0.8% for 2025.
Lecornu, a former defense minister, must now assemble a viable government by early next week, navigating a legislature where his Renaissance party holds just 168 of 577 seats. Failure risks another collapse, potentially forcing Macron to dissolve parliament again or resort to emergency budget powers under Article 49.3.
The episode underscores Macron’s isolation in the final stretch of his term, ending in 2027, as rivals position for the next presidential race. European partners, including Germany, have expressed concern over the instability’s impact on EU-wide economic coordination.
