Paris (TDI): French President Emmanuel Macron has reappointed Sébastien Lecornu as prime minister, just days after his resignation, in a surprise move that has deepened the country’s ongoing political turmoil.
The decision, announced Friday, immediately drew fierce criticism from Macron’s political opponents on both the far right and hard left, many of whom vowed to oppose the formation of the new government in parliament.
At 47, Macron is facing one of the toughest moments of his presidency, with France’s legislature bitterly divided and the 2026 budget still hanging in the balance. Lecornu, seen as one of Macron’s most trusted allies, will now attempt to secure enough cross-party support to push the budget through and stabilize the government.
Lecornu’s first stint as prime minister lasted only 27 days before he stepped down earlier this week, unable to muster the parliamentary backing needed to govern effectively. His reappointment has reignited anger among Macron’s critics.
Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right National Rally, lashed out on social media, calling the move “a bad joke, a democratic disgrace, and a humiliation for the French people.”
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Lecornu’s immediate task will be to submit the 2026 budget proposal to parliament by Monday. Writing on X, he said he accepted the position “out of duty,” vowing to “do everything possible to give France a budget by year’s end” and to address citizens’ day-to-day concerns, according to Reuters.
He urged fellow politicians to “end the political crisis that frustrates the French people” and warned that members of his cabinet would need to put aside personal ambitions ahead of the 2027 presidential race. Lecornu pledged that his new government would represent “renewal and diversity.”
Macron’s decision followed a meeting with major party leaders in an effort to build consensus, though leftist parties were angered that none of their members were considered for the premiership.
Analysts say that if the new government collapses, Macron could be forced to call snap elections, a move likely to benefit the far right, which has been gaining strength in recent polls.
The political instability, which has already rattled markets and slowed economic growth, stems largely from Macron’s decision last year to call an early parliamentary vote. The gamble backfired, producing a hung parliament divided between three ideological blocs.
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The standoff has complicated efforts to reduce France’s budget deficit, with sharp disagreements over spending cuts and tax reforms. If no agreement is reached, emergency measures may be required to keep the government running under a temporary budget next year.
France’s central bank governor, François Villeroy de Galhau, warned on Friday that the uncertainty could shave 0.2 percentage points off GDP growth this year, saying that “uncertainty is the number one enemy of growth.”
Budget negotiations have already cost Macron three prime ministers in less than a year. At the heart of the dispute is the left’s demand to reverse Macron’s 2023 pension reform, which raised the retirement age, and to impose higher taxes on the wealthy, proposals that the conservative bloc strongly opposes.
During Friday’s talks, Macron offered a modest concession by suggesting the retirement age increase could be delayed until 2028, but Green Party leader Marine Tondelier dismissed it as “insufficient.”
France’s deficit is projected to reach 5.4% of GDP this year, nearly twice the EU’s limit, while Lecornu expects to narrow it to between 4.7% and 5% by 2026.
