President Emmanuel Macron has named close ally Sébastien Lecornu as the new French prime minister, 24 hours after a vote of confidence ousted François Bayrou as head of government.
Lecornu, 39, was among the favourites to take over, having spent the past three years as armed forces minister focusing on France's response to Russia's war in Ukraine.
In a statement, the Elysée Palace said that Lecornu— the seventh PM during Macron's presidency—had been charged with consulting political parties with the aim of adopting France's next budget.
Pushing through a budget as head of a minority government was what led to Bayrou's downfall. Left and far-right opponents have already condemned Lecornu's appointment.
Bayrou had visited the president just hours prior to submit his resignation, thus paving the way for Lecornu's new role as the fifth prime minister of Macron's second term.
Lecornu expressed on social media his commitment to building a government with clear direction: defending our independence and our strength, serving the French people, and [ensuring] political and institutional stability for the unity of our country.
His immediate agenda includes addressing France's rising public debt, which has surged to €3.3 trillion (£2.8 trillion) this year, equaling 114% of the country's GDP.
Bayrou had proposed significant budget cuts totaling €44 billion, but his vote of confidence was fated to fail; the National Assembly ultimately decided to oust him by 364 votes to 194.
Lecornu's appointment has garnered support from centrist allies such as Marc Fesneau from Bayrou's MoDem party, who urged all political factions to achieve a compromise for the nation's stability and recovery, especially regarding the budget.
In contrast, Jean-Luc Mélenchon from the radical left France Unbowed expressed disapproval, asserting that nothing significant had changed and calling for Macron's exit from the presidency.
There had been speculation that Macron might approach the center-left for broader support of his minority government, especially after Olivier Faure from the Socialist Party offered collaboration, though it seems he was not contacted.
Marine Le Pen from the far-right criticized Macron, stating he was “giving Macronism its last shot from his bunker, along with his little circle of loyalists”.
France has faced a hung parliament since Macron's unexpected snap elections last year, revealing a divided political landscape characterized by three main blocs: the left, far-right, and center.
Former PM Édouard Philippe assessed Lecornu as a competent choice, citing his experience as defense minister and his capacity for negotiation amidst the challenging political landscape.
More immediate challenges loom as the grassroots movement known as Bloquons Tout (Let's Block Everything) is planning massive anti-government protests on Wednesday, with authorities set to deploy 80,000 police. Following this, Fitch will reassess France’s debt rating on Friday, which may impact borrowing costs if the rating is downgraded from AA-.