French President Emmanuel Macron named Sebastien Lecornu France’s new prime minister, tapping a longtime ally to pick up the mantle of trying to pass a budget through a divided parliament.
Lecornu, who served as defense minister in the previous Cabinet, will become the country’s fifth prime minister in two years. The last two premiers were ousted after trying to pass budgets that would sharply reduce France’s deficit, the widest in the euro area.
Lawmakers across the political spectrum have rejected a continuation of Macron’s policies and have called for new legislative elections. Lecornu’s minority government will need tacit support from the left or the right to pass a 2026 budget and survive a possible no-confidence motion.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.