French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to appoint a new prime minister within 48 hours, according to the Elysee Palace, countering rumors of potential early elections.
Earlier on Wednesday, outgoing Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu indicated that the idea of dissolving parliament was starting to diminish following discussions with various political parties over the past two days.
“There exists a parliamentary majority that wishes to avoid new elections,” he commented.
On Monday, Lecornu – a close collaborator of Macron – became the third French PM in under a year to resign, being forced out by a hung parliament that is fundamentally divided along ideological lines.
He was subsequently requested by Macron to remain for a couple more days to facilitate consensus among political factions to navigate the ongoing political crisis.
During a highly anticipated TV interview on Wednesday night, Lecornu did not provide any hints regarding the identity of the next prime minister, and while he mentioned that his role was “complete,” he also did not entirely exclude the possibility of continuing in some capacity.
He noted that besides the desire to avoid new elections, most members of parliament are also aware of the urgent requirement to approve a budget by the year’s end.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that the journey towards reconstructing a government remains intricate due to fractures within parliament and the ambitions of politicians eyeing the next presidential election.
Whoever ultimately assumes government “must be entirely detached from any presidential aspirations for 2027,” remarked Lecornu, who previously served as the armed forces minister.
France’s political deadlock commenced after snap elections in July 2024, leaving no single party with a majority, thereby complicating the passage of laws or reforms, including the annual budget.
The significant challenge confronting Lecornu and his two predecessors has been addressing France’s overwhelming national debt, which this year stood at €3.4tn (£2.9tn), nearly 114% of economic output (GDP), ranking third highest in the eurozone, following Greece and Italy.
Preceding prime ministers Michel Barnier and Francois Bayrou were dismissed in confidence votes after submitting austerity budgets.
Lecornu stated that his own proposed budget would be unveiled next week, though it would be “subject to discussion.”
“However, the discussion needs to commence… parties cannot declare they will reject it without first reviewing it,” he added.
Likewise, Lecornu mentioned that a major topic that has been troubling French politics since 2023 must be reconsidered – Macron’s controversial pension reforms. “We must discover a way for the discourse to occur,” Lecornu expressed.
Yet, certain factions within parliament seem unyielding in their stances.
Mathilde Panot from the radical left France Unbowed (LFI) stated shortly after Lecornu’s television appearance that the only remedy was “the resignation and exit of Emmanuel Macron.”
Meanwhile, the leader of the far-right National Rally, Marine Le Pen, who has consistently advocated for fresh elections, announced on Wednesday that she would oppose any new government.
At this point, it remains uncertain which political groups would endorse a new government.
The previously united front of centrists and Republicans that has governed since last year appears to have disintegrated.
The crucial question now is whether Lecornu was able to convince the Socialists, who were part of that left coalition during the elections, to provide support for a government in some capacity over the last 48 hours.
When questioned about the demands from some political factions for Macron to resign, including suggestions from Macron’s former prime minister Edouard Philippe earlier this week, Lecornu emphasized that France requires a stable, internationally acknowledged leader.
“This is not the appropriate moment to replace the president,” Lecornu asserted.
Nonetheless, Macron appears to be growing increasingly isolated, with even close associates starting to distance themselves from him.
Earlier this week, Gabriel Attal, widely regarded as Macron’s protégé, mentioned that he “no longer comprehended” Macron’s direction and called for the appointment of an independent mediator to guide the government.
Macron has yet to address the public since Lecornu’s surprising resignation on Monday morning. Lecornu assured that the president would “speak to the French people in due time,” without clarifying when that might occur.
