Macron gives outgoing French PM final chance to salvage government

Outgoing French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, who submitted his government's resignation to the French President this morning, delivers a statement at the Hotel Matignon in Paris. Photo / Stephane Mahe, POOL, AFP

French President Emmanuel Macron today gave Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu two days to salvage his administration, after the PM resigned following less than a month in office in a move that plunged the country further into a political crisis.

Lecornu earlier today stepped down just 14 hours after naming his government line-up.

But in another twist, Macron met Lecornu and gave him until late Wednesday local time (Thursday NZT) to come up with a plan for “the stability of the country”, the President’s office said.

Lecornu on X said he had accepted “to hold final discussions with the political forces” to that end and would report back to Macron.

Macron is ready to “assume his responsibilities” in case of failure, the presidential official said - a possible reference to calling new legislative elections.

Lecornu’s new government raised hackles across the political spectrum - in particular over the appointment of former finance minister Bruno Le Maire as defence minister.

The right-wing Republicans (LR) party was infuriated by the appointment, seeing Le Maire as the incarnation of Macron’s economic policies.

But, in a bid to calm the political chaos, Le Maire said on X that he was immediately stepping down.

‘No longer understand’

The developments have sparked criticism from within Macron’s own ranks.

Gabriel Attal, a former prime minister who leads the President’s centrist party, told France’s evening news: “I no longer understand his decisions”.

“The President has tried the same thing three times in a year,” he added, of Macron naming new PMs. “I think it’s time to try something else.”

He said, however, that he would take part in the talks Lecornu has been tasked with.

Lecornu’s resignation compounds a political crisis that has rocked France for over a year, after Macron called legislative elections in mid-2024 which ended in a hung parliament.

The Paris stock market slipped after the announcement of Lecornu’s exit, with the CAC 40 index of blue-chip stocks down around 1.4%.

The chaos comes ahead of 2027 presidential elections expected to be a historic crossroads in French politics, with the French far-right under Marine Le Pen sensing its best ever chance of taking power.

Le Pen said it would be “wise” for Macron to resign. She also urged snap legislative polls as “absolutely necessary”.

The party leader of Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN), Jordan Bardella, said his party would be “ready to govern”.

Limited choices

Macron named Lecornu, a 39-year-old former defence minister and close confidant, to the post on September 9.

The President had hoped his ally would take the heat out of the domestic crisis and allow him to focus on his efforts on the international stage, notably working to end Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Lecornu had faced the daunting task of finding approval in a deeply divided parliament for an austerity budget for next year.

His two immediate predecessors, Francois Bayrou and Michel Barnier, were ousted by the legislative chamber in a standoff over the spending plan.

France’s public debt has reached a record high, official data showed last week.

France’s debt-to-GDP ratio is now the European Union’s third-highest after Greece and Italy, and is close to twice the 60% permitted under EU rules.

Macron has so far resisted calls for fresh parliamentary polls and has ruled out resigning himself before his mandate ends in 2027.

He could also look for a new prime minister, who would be the eighth of the President’s mandate, but would face a struggle to survive without radical change.

-Agence France-Presse