France’s political stage was thrown into renewed drama on Friday after President Emmanuel Macron brought back Sébastien Lecornu as prime minister, just four days after his resignation triggered chaos and uncertainty.
The move followed intense meetings at the Élysée Palace with party heads, as Macron struggled to end a week-long political standoff.
Lecornu’s reinstatement shocked even his allies. Only two days earlier, he told French television that his “mission is over” and that he was not seeking a return. Despite that, the Élysée confirmed that Macron had formally asked him to form a new government, giving him “full authority” to act.
In a detailed statement shared on X, Lecornu accepted the task, saying he did so “out of duty” and pledged to “do everything to provide France with a budget by the end of the year and respond to the everyday problems of our compatriots.”
He faces a pressing challenge, delivering the 2026 national budget before parliament by Monday.
The 39-year-old leader, one of Macron’s closest political allies, described himself earlier this week as a “soldier-monk” ready to serve where needed.
His immediate test is stabilizing a fractured parliament while managing growing concern over France’s mounting debt and widening deficit, which now stands at 114% and 5.4% of GDP respectively, among the highest in the eurozone.
Lecornu has made it clear that restoring fiscal order is non-negotiable, saying “no-one will be able to shirk” responsibility for the country’s finances. He also demanded that anyone joining his government abandon any presidential ambitions for the remaining 18 months of Macron’s term.
But the new premier inherits a shaky political ground. Macron’s centrist alliance lacks a majority in the National Assembly, making a vote of confidence unpredictable. The president’s approval rating has dropped to just 14%, deepening the sense of vulnerability at the Élysée.
National Rally leader Jordan Bardella dismissed the reappointment as a “bad joke,” accusing Macron of being “isolated and disconnected.” Bardella said his party would immediately move a no-confidence motion against what he termed a “coalition built on fear of elections.”
Lecornu is familiar with the challenges ahead. After first being appointed on September 9, his initial government fell apart within weeks when conservative Republicans leader Bruno Retailleau opposed one of his ministerial choices.
Retailleau, who eyes the presidency, has since declared that any cooperation with Macron’s centrists is over, though not all party members share his view.
With conservatives divided, Macron’s camp is now courting support from the left. Officials have hinted at revisiting sections of the controversial 2023 pension law that raised the retirement age from 62 to 64, a move seen as an attempt to appease progressive lawmakers but one that risks upsetting centrists.
The left, however, remains unconvinced. Socialist leader Olivier Faure said his party “won’t give any guarantee” in a vote of confidence, while Communist head Fabien Roussel insisted that “a prime minister from the president’s camp would not be accepted by the French people.” Green Party leader Marine Tondelier said she was “stunned” that Macron “offered the left almost nothing,” warning that “all of this is going to turn out very badly.”
Meanwhile, economic experts are warning that continued political uncertainty could weigh heavily on growth.
Central bank chief François Villeroy de Galhau said the instability has already shaved off 0.2% from projected growth, urging politicians to seek “compromises” and consider coalition governance. “Like many in France I’ve had enough of this [political] mess,” he told RTL radio.
If Lecornu fails to rally support and form a stable cabinet, observers say France could face a deeper political and economic crisis — one that may haunt Macron’s final months in power.