French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to name a new prime minister within the next two days as he scrambles to navigate the worst political crisis of his tenure, following days of paralysis and cabinet upheaval in Paris.
The Elysee Palace confirmed on Wednesday that Macron would unveil a replacement within 48 hours, after outgoing Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu wrapped up two days of consultations with party leaders aimed at breaking France’s deepening deadlock.
According to the presidency, Lecornu’s discussions revealed that most lawmakers were unwilling to risk a fresh parliamentary election. The talks also suggested that a fragile “platform for stability” could allow for the passage of a national budget before the end of the year — a key step toward restoring confidence in the government.
In its statement, the Elysee thanked Lecornu for what it called his “dedication to consensus-building,” but stopped short of indicating whether he might be reappointed or replaced.
The uncertainty follows the spectacular collapse of Lecornu’s administration — the fifth in less than two years — which lasted just 14 hours after being unveiled on Sunday. His proposed cabinet was met with outrage from both the left and right, who accused Macron of recycling the same political figures tied to unpopular austerity measures introduced by Lecornu’s predecessor, Francois Bayrou.
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Bayrou was ousted in September when parliament voted down his debt-reduction budget, triggering Macron’s latest crisis and fueling demands for a complete political reset.
Lecornu, who described his short-lived government as an “impossible balancing act,” told French television earlier on Wednesday that his efforts to forge consensus had failed but had at least shown that most legislators opposed dissolving parliament. He urged Macron to consider a technocratic cabinet — one less entangled in party politics and electoral ambitions — to steer the country until the next presidential race in 2027.
He also dismissed calls for Macron’s resignation or early presidential elections, saying France needed continuity, not chaos.
The gridlock has left France’s parliament unable to pass a budget or enact reforms needed to address a ballooning national debt. Protests against spending cuts have spread nationwide, while opposition blocs — emboldened by rising far-right support — are vowing to block any new cabinet lineup they see as a continuation of the status quo.
Macron now faces a narrow window to reassert control, salvage credibility, and convince France that his presidency still has a path forward.