PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Sébastien Lecornu as the country’s new prime minister, just one day after the collapse of the government, marking a pivotal moment in Macron’s presidency.
Lecornu, 39, a long-time Macron ally with conservative roots, replaces François Bayrou, who was ousted by parliament after just nine months in office due to his controversial push for deep spending cuts. His removal triggered the need for Macron to name his fifth prime minister in under two years.
The appointment signals Macron’s intent to stick with his pro-business reform agenda, despite growing unrest and political instability. Lecornu, who previously served as defense minister, will be tasked with the politically fraught job of steering the 2026 national budget through a fractured parliament — a challenge that led to Bayrou’s downfall.
Lecornu’s nomination is seen as a move to consolidate Macron’s center-right support base, while alienating potential allies on the center-left, including the Socialist Party. This leaves Macron increasingly reliant on parliamentary support from Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally — a controversial and risky political alignment.
The new prime minister’s top priority will be to build consensus around a 2026 budget plan, at a time when France’s deficit hovers at nearly double the EU’s 3% GDP ceiling. The stakes are high: failure could deepen the already precarious state of the French economy, which is struggling under mounting debt.
Lecornu brings deep political experience despite his young age. He began his career campaigning for former President Nicolas Sarkozy at 16, became mayor at 18, and was appointed as Sarkozy’s adviser by 22. He left the conservative Les Républicains to back Macron’s 2017 presidential bid and later led Macron’s successful 2022 re-election campaign.
However, Lecornu’s appointment comes at a volatile moment. Nationwide “Block Everything” protests are scheduled for Wednesday, reflecting growing public dissatisfaction with the government’s economic policies, including tax cuts for the wealthy and an unpopular increase in the retirement age.
By choosing a loyal insider with a conservative pedigree, Macron is signaling his refusal to retreat from his reformist agenda — even as critics argue the country is demanding a political shift. The coming weeks will test whether Lecornu can navigate France through its political and fiscal storm — or whether he’ll become the next casualty in Macron’s turbulent second term.
