PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron has reappointed his outgoing prime minister, Sebastien Lecornu, back into that position, just four days after Lecornu gave his resignation.
“The president of the republic has nominated Mr Sebastien Lecornu as prime minister and has tasked him with forming a government,” the Elysee Palace said in a statement as the deadline he had fixed to appoint the premier ended on Friday.
Lecornu, in a message on X, said he accepted his reappointment “out of duty”, adding that “we must end the political crisis” gripping France.
“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.
Macron reappoints him after consulting parties, except two largest stakeholders in assembly
“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.”
Earlier, Macron welcomed mainstream political leaders to a crunch meeting at the Elysee, as the country’s central bank chief warned political turmoil was sapping growth.
Before the reappointment of PM Lecornu, Macron was looking for a sixth prime minister in less than two years. The gathering was aimed at finding a figure whose appeal spans the centre-right to centre-left in order to steer the budget for 2026 through a fragmented and fractious parliament.
Party leaders from the left, right and centre arrived at the Elysee, but the far-right National Rally (RN) and hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) — two of the largest political parties in the National Assembly — were excluded.
While reacting to the reappointment of PM Lecornu, RN President Jordan Bardella said, “The Lecornu II government, appointed by Emmanuel Macron who is more isolated and out of touch than ever at the Elysee Palace, is a bad joke, a democratic disgrace and a humiliation for the French people.”
Socialist Party lawmaker Francois Kalfon said, “Our scepticism grows by the day. We want something concrete on the pension reform. We are not afraid to return to the polls.”
National Assembly President Yael Braun-Pivet said, “I note the reappointment of Sbastien Lecornu as Matignon. For weeks now, the National Assembly has been in full working order, ready to play its role to the full: debating, scrutinising and voting. Now it’s time to get down to work. It’s about time!”
Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2025
