Why Macron's choice of France's new PM faces criticism even from his allies
This week marked the start of a deep political crisis in France.
On 8 September, the government resigned. On 10 September, massive anti-government protests under the slogan "Block Everything" erupted across France, triggered by the government’s plan to adopt the 2026 state budget, which foresees record spending cuts. The next day, a motion to impeach the French president was submitted to parliament.
Read more about France’s new prime minister and whether he can overcome the crisis in the article by Yurii Panchenko, European Pravda's editor: Macron’s last government: can the new PM lead France out of political crisis.
France has fallen into a debt trap it cannot get out of for now.
"Our country operates as if it is becoming richer, but with each year it is becoming poorer. It is a silent, underground, invisible and unbearable bloodletting," described outgoing Prime Minister François Bayrou.
He is not the first head of government to attempt serious cuts to the state budget deficit.
This year, Bayrou prepared an austerity budget and realised even before debate began that it was impossible to pass. He committed "political suicide" by submitting a confidence vote in his own government.
As a result, France lost yet another government, the cost of servicing its debt grows by the day, and mass protests against spending cuts continue.
Most importantly, Macron’s bloc and its allies from the Republican Party lack a parliamentary majority. That forces them to negotiate either with the left or the far-right opposition. Yet the opposition is already preparing for early elections and therefore has no desire to share responsibility for deeply unpopular measures.
This was the situation facing Emmanuel Macron earlier this week, when he had to appoint a new prime minister capable of addressing these challenges.
The president chose his long-time ally, Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu, who takes office with extremely low public approval.
Lecornu began his political career in the right-wing Republicans but defected to Macron’s camp in 2017 after Macron’s first victory. For this, he was expelled from his original party. He then joined Macron’s movement La République En Marche! (now renamed Renaissance).
Since then, Lecornu has served in every government under Macron – a record achievement. Privately, members of Macron’s bloc admit they are dissatisfied with the appointment, seeing it as based primarily on loyalty and "convenience" for the president.
In today’s circumstances, that reputation may be more of a liability. The new prime minister will struggle to build bridges with the opposition, especially with the left.
For France’s left, Lecornu is known above all as a politician who opposed raising taxes, voted against full legalisation of same-sex marriage, and, as ecology minister, drastically reduced the cost of hunting licenses, sparking outrage among environmentalists.
Despite this, President Macron hopes his new prime minister can reset relations with the opposition.
Lecornu’s strength lies in his ability to work under extremely difficult conditions. It is enough to recall that he has been defence minister since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, overseeing French military aid to Kyiv and launching the urgent modernisation of France’s armed forces.
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18 of September 2025
