Macron Races to Appoint New Prime Minister Amid French Political Crisis

French President Emmanuel Macron is urgently seeking a new prime minister within a 48-hour deadline, following the resignation of outgoing premier Sebastien Lecornu, which has intensified France’s political turmoil.

The Presidency confirmed on Wednesday evening that the new appointment would be made by Friday evening at the latest, signalling Macron’s intent to stabilise the government swiftly.

Lecornu, speaking to French television, expressed his expectation that a new premier would be appointed rather than calling early legislative elections or prompting Macron’s resignation, viewing this as the appropriate solution to the ongoing crisis.

This is the latest development in three tumultuous days of political drama that have shaken France and raised concerns about the stability of this key European Union member state.

Background: Lecornu’s Resignation

• Lecornu resigned early Monday, after serving less than a month as premier.
• Macron granted him until Wednesday evening to resolve the months-long deadlock over an austerity budget.
• Lecornu’s two immediate predecessors were ousted by parliament over disputes concerning the government’s spending plan.

The Presidency emphasised that there is a possible path to agree on a budget by the end of the year, but the identity of the new premier remains undisclosed. Unless reappointed, the incoming premier will be the eighth under Macron’s presidency.

The crisis has become Macron’s most serious political headache since taking office in 2017, with close allies distancing themselves from the increasingly isolated president.

Lecornu explained that prospects for snap legislative elections had diminished, noting that a majority in the lower house is against dissolving parliament.

After former premier Edouard Philippe suggested that Macron should step down and call early presidential elections, Lecornu insisted that the president should serve until 2027, stating: “It is not the time to change the president. Let’s not make the French believe that it’s the president who votes the budget.”

Lecornu hinted at the possibility of a more technocratic cabinet, stating that new ministers should not have ambitions to run in the 2027 presidential elections.

“The situation is already difficult enough. We need a team that decides to roll up its sleeves and solve the country’s problems until the presidential election,” he said.

Key domestic issues, such as reversing the increase of the pension age, remain highly contentious. Lecornu warned that suspending the reform would cost at least three billion euros ($3.5 billion) in 2027.

Education Minister Elisabeth Borne, who oversaw the reform as premier when it was passed without a parliamentary vote, has called for a suspension.

When asked about the next premier, Lecornu offered no definitive clues but did not totally exclude his reappointment. He remarked: “I tried everything. This evening my mission is finished.”

The next prime minister will likely confront the same parliamentary challenges faced by Lecornu and his predecessors, Michel Barnier and Francois Bayrou, both of whom were toppled by parliament.

• Macron’s centrists lost their majority in the 2022 elections and further seats in snap polls last year.
• The current government is a de facto coalition with the right-wing Republicans, yet this remains a minority in parliament.
• Any new premier risks being voted out if the left unites with the far-right National Rally led by Marine Le Pen.

Le Pen has stated she would oppose all initiatives by a new government, declaring: “We will vote against everything.”

The National Rally views this political instability as an opportunity to increase its chances in the 2027 presidential elections, especially if Macron is barred from running after completing two terms.

Macron has long attempted to woo Socialist support to secure a broad left-wing alliance. However, Socialist leader Olivier Faure, after meeting Lecornu on Wednesday, lamented that the premier had “given no assurance” that the pension reform would be suspended.

Timeline of Recent French Political Crisis

The unfolding events underscore the fragility of France’s current political landscape, with Macron striving to restore governmental stability while managing deep divisions over austerity and reforms.