In a stunning political twist that has left many scratching their heads, President Emmanuel Macron has unexpectedly called back Sébastien Lecornu to serve once again as France's prime minister—just four days after Lecornu had stepped down. This rapid reversal came amid a whirlwind of political drama and uncertainty shaking the French government.
Late on Friday, following a high-stakes meeting at the Élysée Palace with most major political parties—excluding the far right and far left leaders—Macron revealed his decision to reappoint Lecornu. What makes this move truly surprising is that Lecornu himself had publicly declared only days earlier that he wasn’t pursuing the prime minister role and felt his mandate was complete.
Even more challenging, Lecornu’s ability to form a new government remains far from guaranteed, yet the clock is already ticking. He faces a tight deadline: by the upcoming Monday, he must present the national budget for the next year to parliament, leaving him little time to settle in.
The Élysée officially announced that Macron had charged Lecornu with the task of assembling a government and granted him full discretion—"carte blanche"—to act swiftly and decisively. Lecornu responded with a detailed declaration on the social media platform X, expressing that he accepted this assignment "out of a sense of duty". He pledged to work tirelessly to secure a budget by year’s end and to tackle the day-to-day issues facing the French people.
Here’s where it gets controversial: France is deeply divided over the best approach to reduce its national debt and trim the budget deficit—a debate that has already toppled two prime ministers in just the past year. Lecornu openly acknowledged the enormity of this challenge, emphasizing that "no one can avoid" the tough task of restoring France’s public finances. Adding to the complexity, with only about 18 months left in Macron’s current term, Lecornu warned that anyone joining his cabinet must temporarily shelve their own presidential ambitions.
But the hurdles don’t stop there. Lecornu will face an imminent confidence vote in the National Assembly, where Macron’s party lacks a majority. This political vulnerability is further underscored by Macron’s plummeting popularity, which this week hit an all-time low—just 14% approval according to an Elabe poll.
The far-right opposition isn’t holding back. Jordan Bardella, leader of the National Rally, a party notably excluded from Macron’s recent leadership talks, lambasted Lecornu’s return as a "bad joke," accusing the president of being more isolated and out of touch than ever in the Élysée. Bardella declared his party’s intent to immediately push for a vote of no confidence, denouncing the fragile government as a coalition sustained only by fear of upcoming elections.
This dramatic reshuffle raises pressing questions: Can Lecornu navigate these treacherous political waters and unite a fractured assembly? Or is this merely another short-lived chapter in France’s ongoing governmental instability? What do you think—does reappointing Lecornu signal strength or desperation? Share your thoughts and join the debate below.
