French President, Emmanuel Macron, has reinstated Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister, only days after accepting his resignation in the wake of his government’s collapse.
“The president of the republic has named Mr Sébastien Lecornu prime minister and has charged him with forming a government,” the Élysée Palace confirmed in a statement on Friday.
Lecornu, reacting to the reappointment in a post on X, outlined his commitment to restoring political order, saying, “We must put an end to this political crisis that is exasperating the French people and to this instability that is detrimental to France’s image and its interests.”
The development capped off a dramatic week in French politics. Lecornu, initially a surprise pick for the premiership, announced his cabinet late Sunday, only for it to be publicly criticized by his interior minister hours later.
By Monday morning, he had tendered his resignation, which Macron accepted, before the president reversed course and tasked him with leading talks to find his replacement.
However, after two days of intense consultations with opposition figures, Macron decided the best solution was to reappoint Lecornu himself, a move that drew widespread backlash.
Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right National Rally, condemned the decision as “a bad joke, a democratic disgrace, and a humiliation for the French people.”
Meanwhile, Marine Le Pen, currently sidelined from political office pending a campaign finance appeal, urged an immediate no-confidence vote and fresh elections.
On the left, France Unbowed leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon mocked the president’s decision, saying, “Macron can do nothing other than Macron.”
A push to ease political gridlock
France’s deepening political deadlock — marked by repeated government collapses and budget disputes — has sparked unfavorable comparisons to the instability often associated with Italy.
Seeking to avert further chaos, Lecornu revealed in his X post that he had struck a compromise allowing party concerns from recent consultations to be debated openly in parliament.
This move suggests a shift away from Macron’s previous practice of pushing legislation through the National Assembly without a vote.
Ahead of last Sunday’s ill-fated cabinet unveiling, Lecornu had already pledged not to resort to such executive powers again.
He also introduced a significant new condition for future ministers: “All ambitions are legitimate and useful, but those who join the Government must commit to disengaging themselves from the presidential ambitions for 2027,” he declared.
This condition could rule out figures such as Bruno Retailleau, the right-wing former interior minister expected to contest the 2027 presidential election. Likewise, leaders from the far-left and far-right, including Le Pen should her appeal succeed, would be excluded from government positions.
Although Lecornu has yet to unveil his new cabinet, his final discussions with Macron on Friday included members of the president’s centrist bloc and mainstream left- and right-wing parties. The far-left and far-right were deliberately left out.
His previous cabinet lineup, unveiled Sunday night, had faced harsh criticism for including even more Macron loyalists than the president’s inaugural 2017 team — despite Lecornu’s earlier promises of renewal.
After a turbulent first stint that lasted less than a month, Lecornu now faces the challenge of proving that his second attempt can bring the political stability France desperately seeks.
