PARIS: France’s outgoing Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu will make a final effort on Tuesday to gather cross-party support for a cabinet lineup to resolve the country’s political deadlock.
President Emmanuel Macron assigned Lecornu the task of forming a government in early September after parliament removed his predecessor.
Lecornu presented a new cabinet on Sunday evening that immediately faced criticism for including many familiar faces from the previous administration.
The prime minister resigned on Monday following the criticism of his proposed government.
In an unexpected development, Lecornu accepted Macron’s request by Monday evening to spend two additional days trying to save his administration.
Macron instructed Lecornu to conduct final negotiations by Wednesday evening to establish an action platform and ensure national stability according to a presidential official who requested anonymity.
Lecornu announced on social media that he had agreed to hold final discussions with political forces and would report back to Macron on Wednesday evening.
The presidential official stated Macron is prepared to assume his responsibilities if these efforts fail potentially indicating new legislative elections.
Critics expressed particular concern about former finance minister Bruno Le Maire’s appointment as defence minister viewing him as representative of Macron’s economic policies.
Le Maire announced his resignation on Monday in an attempt to break the political impasse.
Lecornu’s resignation deepens a political crisis that has troubled France for over a year following Macron’s mid-2024 snap elections that resulted in a hung parliament.
The ongoing crisis has drawn criticism from within Macron’s own political circle.
Gabriel Attal who served as prime minister until last year and now leads the president’s centrist party expressed confusion about Macron’s decisions on Monday evening.
Attal suggested that after multiple prime minister changes it was time to try something different.
This political turmoil precedes the 2027 presidential elections which represent a historic crossroads for French politics.
Marine Le Pen’s far-right faction sees this as their best opportunity yet to gain power.
Le Pen described Macron’s resignation as wise while also calling snap legislative elections absolutely necessary.
Jordan Bardella leader of Le Pen’s far-right National Rally declared their readiness to govern.
Lecornu’s two immediate predecessors Francois Bayrou and Michel Barnier lost parliamentary support during conflicts over an austerity budget.
Any future prime minister will still need to secure sufficient support for the spending bill in a legislature where Macron’s allies lack a majority.
The political crisis coincides with France’s public debt reaching record levels.
France now holds the European Union’s third-highest debt-to-GDP ratio trailing only Greece and Italy.
The country’s debt level approaches double the 60% limit permitted under European Union regulations.
Macron has consistently rejected calls for new parliamentary elections and ruled out resigning before his mandate concludes in 2027.
The president could seek an eighth prime minister for his mandate though any candidate would struggle to survive without implementing radical changes. – AFP