France is on the verge of a significant political shift. President Emmanuel Macron plans to name a new Prime Minister very soon, likely within 48 hours. This move aims to calm rumors about dissolving parliament and calling new elections. It follows the recent resignation of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu on Monday. He became the third prime minister to step down in less than a year.
Mr. Lecornu, a close ally of President Macron, was asked to stay in his post for two extra days. This time allowed him to talk with different political parties. The goal was to find a way out of the political gridlock. This deadlock has gripped the country since a snap election in July 2024, which left no party with a clear majority in parliament.
On Wednesday, Mr. Lecornu appeared on television. He stated his mission was “finished.” However, he did not confirm if he would remove himself from consideration for the top job. He stressed that most lawmakers do not want another election. They understand the urgent need to pass a new national budget before the year ends.
Still, he admitted that forming a new government remains tricky. This is due to strong disagreements among political groups. There is also jockeying for position ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Mr. Lecornu commented that the next person to run the country “must not be tied to personal political ambitions.”
Since the 2024 election, France has had a “hung parliament.” This means the government struggles to pass important laws. These include the yearly budget. A big problem for recent governments is the national debt. It has soared to 3.4 trillion euros, which is about 114% of the country’s economic output. This makes it the third highest in the Eurozone, behind Greece and Italy.
Previous prime ministers, Michel Barnier and François Bayrou, both faced no-confidence votes. This happened after they proposed tough budget cuts. Mr. Lecornu shared that a new budget draft will come out next week. He promised it would be open for full discussion.
Meanwhile, opposition parties on both the left and right are standing firm. Mathilde Pano, from the far-left La France Insoumise (LFI) party, has called for Macron to resign. Marine Le Pen, who leads the far-right National Rally party, has vowed to vote against any new government.
Under increasing pressure, President Macron has not spoken publicly since Mr. Lecornu’s resignation. The former prime minister simply said the French leader “will address the people at the right time.” Some of Macron’s political friends are also starting to pull away. Gabriel Attal, who was once a close political student of Macron, said he “no longer understands the President’s approach.” He suggested appointing an independent person to help solve the country’s political problems.
Source: BBC