Former Defense Minister Lecornu is set to become France's new head of government. He is considered a close confidant of President Macron and is now expected to lead the country out of the crisis.
French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed former Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister. Lecornu succeeds François Bayrou, who resigned after losing a vote of confidence.
Lecornu, 39, was already in the running for prime minister last December, but Macron ultimately chose Bayrou. Lecornu had once left the conservative Les Republicains party and joined Macron's centrist political movement when Macron was first elected in 2017. Five years later, he led Macron's re-election campaign. Lecornu is considered a confidant of Macron.
Lecornu held positions in local governments and overseas territories. He also played an important mediating role in Macron's handling of the Yellow Vest movement, helping to manage the anger of the masses through dialogue.
The 39-year-old is the youngest defense minister in French history and the architect of a massive military buildup through 2030, stemming from Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Lecornu's rise reflects Macron's penchant for rewarding loyalty. Observers also see the appointment as a sign of continuity.
The new government's proposal lies with Lecornu
Lecornu is already the fifth head of government under Macron in less than two years. Among other things, he faces the task of getting a budget through the divisive and deeply divided parliament.
The Élysée Palace announced that he was tasked with consulting with the parties to reach a consensus on the budget. Only then would he propose a new government to the president.
Right-wing populist parliamentary group leader Marine Le Pen accused Macron of firing his"last bullet." Green Party leader Marine Tondelier called the appointment of another prime minister from the government camp—which only came second in the parliamentary elections—a "provocation." Yet Lecornu is considered a politician tolerated by the bourgeois right and at least not met with blatant opposition from the left.
Danger of a stalemate in parliament
Previous prime ministers had fallen over disputes over the French budget. His predecessor, Bayrou, had hoped that members of parliament would support his calls for drastic spending cuts to rehabilitate the state finances. Instead, they seized the opportunity to oust the 74-year-old on Monday evening after just under nine months in office.
The failure of Bayrou and his short-lived minority government means renewed uncertainty for France and the risk of a protracted stalemate in parliament. After months of instability, France must now hope to make political progress. This is particularly crucial with regard to the budget. The heavily indebted country must stabilize its austerity course and pass a budget for the coming year. How a new government will succeed in this, given the widely divergent positions in the divided parliament, is unclear.
Since last year's parliamentary elections, the National Assembly has been deeply divided. Macron's centrist, Le Pen's right-wing nationalists, and the left wing are facing off as three major blocs. None of them has a majority of its own. Barnier's government, dependent on the right-wing nationalists, failed; Bayrou initially allowed himself to be tolerated by the Socialists but then lost their favor.
