French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday reappointed Sebastien Lecornu as prime minister, just days after Lecornu submitted his resignation.
The Elysee Palace confirmed the decision, stating that Macron had tasked Lecornu with forming a government.
Upon accepting the nomination, Lecornu emphasized the urgency of resolving the ongoing political crisis. “It is my duty to accept the mission entrusted to me by the President, to do everything in my power to give France a budget for the end of the year and to respond to the everyday problems of our compatriots,” he said.
“We need to put an end to this political crisis, which is exasperating the French people, and to this instability, which is bad for France’s image and its interests.”
Lecornu had resigned on Monday, only 14 hours after presenting his Cabinet, which faced resistance from rival political parties. On Wednesday, Macron had announced he would reveal his choice for the next prime minister within 48 hours, leaving speculation about the appointee.
France has been grappling with political instability since a snap election in mid-2024, which left no party with a clear majority. Macron called the early election following poor results for his party in the European elections, where many seats were lost to the far-right National Rally.
Reactions to Lecornu’s reappointment were sharply divided. Neither the far-right National Rally nor the far-left France Unbowed party were involved in discussions prior to the decision.
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen criticized the move, calling for the dissolution of the National Assembly. “The maneuver is now transparent: the sole purpose of abandoning Article 49.3 was to enable the budget to be passed by executive order. The maneuvers continue, and therefore censorship is necessary and dissolution is more essential than ever,” she stated on X.
Similarly, Mathilde Panot of France Unbowed expressed strong disapproval, asserting that Macron was delaying the inevitable. “Never before has a President wanted so much to govern by disgust and anger. Lecornu, who resigned on Monday, was reappointed by Macron on Friday. Macron miserably postpones the inevitable: his departure,” she said.
Lecornu’s return underscores Macron’s determination to stabilize the government and push through key legislation, even amid ongoing opposition and public frustration.
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