Macron to Appoint New Prime Minister Within 48 Hours to Ease France’s Political Crisis and Avert Snap Election

France’s outgoing prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu. Photo: Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to appoint a new prime minister within 48 hours in a bid to defuse an escalating political crisis and avoid a snap parliamentary election. The decision comes after the resignation of Sébastien Lecornu, who served less than a month as prime minister. Macron’s move follows a final round of talks between the two men, as he faces mounting pressure from both the far-left and far-right to call new elections amid instability within his centrist-conservative coalition government.

Lecornu, a centrist ally of Macron, said after the discussions that most political parties in the lower house oppose an early election and prefer to maintain stability to ensure the national budget passes before the end of the year. He acknowledged that key challenges remain, particularly the controversial pension reform of 2023, and admitted that while “a solution exists,” the road ahead “will be difficult,” given growing concerns over France’s public debt and widening fiscal deficit.

Meanwhile, opposition parties continue to ramp up pressure. Te far-right National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen, has vowed to reject any new prime minister and push for immediate elections. Similarity, the far-left France Unbowed party has called for Macron’s resignation. Although neither party holds enough seats to topple the government, cross-party cooperation appears nearly impossible. Olivier Faure, leader of the Socialist Party, declared that forming a coalition government with Macron’s party was “unimaginable.”

Calls have grown for President Emmanuel Macron of France to either step down or call new parliamentary elections. Photo: Benoit Tessier/Reuters

At the heart of the discord is Macron’s pension reform, which raised the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030, a cornerstone of his second-term agenda that sparked widespread opposition. Lecornu described the passage of the reform without a full parliamentary vote as a “democratic wound”, calling it a major source of political division. Former Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne added that parts of the reform might be reviewed or suspended “if necessary to preserve national stability,” marking a rare concession from Macron’s allies.

Amid growing uncertainty, Macron finds himself increasingly isolated politically. Even close allies such as Édouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal have begun distancing themselves. A recent Elabe poll shows Macron’s approval rating has plummeted to just 14 percent. Lecornu warned that “the elephant in the room is the 2027 presidential election,” urging Macron to appoint a cabinet free from political ambition and focused solely on fiscal governance. However, it remains unclear whether the next prime minister can unite the fractured political factions and restore stability to France.

Source: The New York Times

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