France is bracing for yet another shake-up at the top — President Emmanuel Macron is poised to appoint a new prime minister within the next 48 hours, a dramatic turn after the government’s stunning resignation earlier this week. But here’s where things get controversial: the decision comes just days after Sébastien Lecornu, who had barely settled into the role, was tasked with steering the country out of a deepening political crisis, only to see his own appointment crumble in record time.
On Wednesday evening, following closed-door talks with Macron, Lecornu made a rare primetime appearance, insisting that a path forward “is still possible” — but cautioning that it won’t be easy. He stopped short of declaring victory over the chaos gripping the nation. According to the Elysée, Lecornu walked away with three key takeaways. First, most lawmakers are firmly against snap elections. Second, there is — in theory — a “platform of stability,” though no one is quite sure what that means in practice. Third, there’s at least a conceivable plan to pass France’s budget before year-end.
Lecornu painted a slightly rosier picture on fiscal matters, noting that a slim plurality of MPs are willing to compromise on the 2026 budget. France’s deficit, currently projected at 5.4% of GDP, remains a sticking point. Earlier in the day, he even hinted at relaxing the deficit reduction target to 5% from his previous 4.7%, perhaps in a bid to win over reluctant legislators.
Now the spotlight shifts squarely to Macron. Should he decide against dissolving the National Assembly — a move fraught with risk — he’ll have to select a new prime minister to confront the very same obstacle that sank Lecornu and his predecessors: passing a budget without a parliamentary majority. A bold move could be choosing a center-left Socialist figure to work with a coalition of left-wing and centrist MPs. But this comes with a catch — such an alliance might dismantle key Macron reforms, including the hotly debated law raising the retirement age.
That pension reform, once pushed through by former PM Elisabeth Borne despite public fury, is back in the headlines. The Socialists left Wednesday’s meeting with Lecornu empty-handed, having secured no promise to revisit the measure. Lecornu admitted pensions are "one of the most obstructive, most difficult issues" in French politics, predicting they’ll dominate the 2027 presidential race if not addressed sooner. Momentum for suspending the reform is growing, with even Borne now in favor.
Macron himself remains tight-lipped. He is expected to speak Thursday at the Pantheon for the induction of Robert Badinter, the justice minister who abolished the death penalty in 1981. But observers doubt he’ll address the elephant in the room: France has churned through three prime ministers in under a year.
Meanwhile, calls for fresh elections are echoing from the far right. Marine Le Pen has vowed her National Rally will seek to bring down any incoming PM unless Macron dissolves parliament. Party president Jordan Bardella didn’t hold back: “The joke has gone on long enough. No one’s laughing anymore. Macron is buying time to cling to power.”
And here’s the part most people miss — Macron’s next choice could either stabilize France or plunge it into even deeper turmoil. Will he gamble on a unifying figure, or double down on his own political agenda? Where do you stand — should France hold snap elections or try to push through with yet another new prime minister?
