Sebastien Lecornu, chosen by President Emmanuel Macron to be France's fifth prime minister in just two years, took office on Wednesday amid widespread anti-government protests that highlighted the country's deepening political crisis.
Lecornu, a conservative ally of Macron who most recently served as defence minister, arrived at the prime minister's residence at midday, where he met with former Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, who was removed from office on Monday following his plans to reduce France’s large deficit.
In his first address, Lecornu is expected to outline how he intends to work with a fragmented parliament, divided into three ideological blocs, to pass a reduced budget for the coming year. He faces a deadline of October 7 to present a draft of the 2026 budget to parliament, though there is a small extension until October 13 before lawmakers lose the chance to approve it by the end of the year.
Reactions to Lecornu’s appointment on Tuesday made clear the challenges ahead. While there is broad agreement on the need to reduce France’s deficit, which reached 5.8% of GDP in 2024, there is no consensus on how to achieve it.
The far-left has vowed to seek Lecornu’s removal with a no-confidence motion, while the far-right National Rally (RN) has expressed a willingness to collaborate on the budget, provided its demands are met. "His budget will be RN’s, or his government won’t survive," RN lawmaker Laure Lavalette wrote on X.
The RN, the largest parliamentary party in France, is crucial to any potential no-confidence vote. Lecornu, seen as the closest Macron ally to the RN, even dined with RN president Jordan Bardella last year.
In addition to his efforts to unite the political factions, Lecornu faces the challenge of passing a budget that balances the needs of both the Socialists, who want to soften cuts and tax the wealthy, and The Republicans, who staunchly oppose any tax hikes. Macron made an unusual move on Tuesday, calling Socialist leader Olivier Faure to inform him that a leftist would not be appointed as prime minister. Faure, while leaving the door open to cooperation, also warned that he would support a no-confidence motion if the government failed to consider Socialist priorities.
Meanwhile, protests erupted across France as part of the "Block Everything" movement, driven by discontent with Macron’s policies, proposed budget cuts, and the political establishment as a whole. Thousands of people took to the streets, clashing with security forces, disrupting traffic, and setting fire to rubbish bins. Authorities deployed around 80,000 police to manage the unrest.
"Anger has been building for months, even years," said Daniel Bretones, a union member protesting in Marseille. "We’ve had five prime ministers under Macron’s second term, but nothing has changed."
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered "closed in its entirety", but gave...
China announced a sweeping inspection of fire-safety standards in high-rise buildings nationwide on Saturday after a deadly fire in Hong Kong left at ...
The death toll from floods and landslides following cyclonic rains in the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country's dis...
Hong Kong on Saturday mourned the 128 people known to have died in a massive fire at a high-rise apartment complex, a toll that is likely to rise with...
The global recall of Airbus A320 aircraft has triggered widespread disruption across several major airlines, forcing flight cancellations in the Unite...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered "closed in its entirety", but gave no further details.
At least 153 people have been killed in Sri Lanka after landslides and flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah, officials said on Saturday, with 191 others missing and more than half a million affected nationwide.
China announced a sweeping inspection of fire-safety standards in high-rise buildings nationwide on Saturday after a deadly fire in Hong Kong left at least 128 people dead.
The death toll from floods and landslides following cyclonic rains in the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country's disaster mitigation agency said on Saturday, up from a previous figure of 174.
At least 47 people have died and another 21 are reported missing following ten days of heavy rainfall, floods, and landslides across Sri Lanka, local media reported on Thursday (27 November).
Hong Kong fire authorities said they expected to wrap up search and rescue operations on Friday after the city's worst fire in nearly 80 years tore through a massive apartment complex, killing at least 128 people, injuring 79 and leaving around 200 still missing.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited sailors aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier in the Latin American region on Thursday, amid a military buildup by President Donald Trump’s administration that has heightened tensions with Venezuela.
At least 153 people have been killed in Sri Lanka after landslides and flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah, officials said on Saturday, with 191 others missing and more than half a million affected nationwide.
The Spanish agricultural sector has been placed on high alert following the confirmation that African Swine Fever (ASF) has resurfaced in the country for the first time in over thirty years.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered "closed in its entirety", but gave no further details.
China announced a sweeping inspection of fire-safety standards in high-rise buildings nationwide on Saturday after a deadly fire in Hong Kong left at least 128 people dead.
The death toll from floods and landslides following cyclonic rains in the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country's disaster mitigation agency said on Saturday, up from a previous figure of 174.
Hong Kong on Saturday mourned the 128 people known to have died in a massive fire at a high-rise apartment complex, a toll that is likely to rise with 150 still missing days after the disaster.
The global recall of Airbus A320 aircraft has triggered widespread disruption across several major airlines, forcing flight cancellations in the United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment