France: Macron confidant becomes a prime minister and faces baptism of fire

It is a real challenge that France’s designated prime minister stands: On the day of his inauguration, the newly appointed Sébastien Lecornu protest blocks all over the country await the authorities for a long time that they could end in chaos. In addition, he somehow has to try to find majorities in the split parliament. And then there would be the savings budget, which the highly indebted country urgently has to get on. Can the appointment by President Emmanuel Macron bring the hoped -for stability?

At 39, Lecornu is one of the younger candidates who had been traded for the successor to François Bayrou. He is considered a familiar Macron and was a defense minister in close exchange with the head of state.

Lecornu in 2017 was appointed to the middle government of Édouard Philippe from the conservatives. Lecornu is said to have a certain wire and respect from the right -wing national leadership figure Marine Le Pen. He is considered a politician who is tolerated by the bourgeois right and at least no complete rejection in the left camp.

Lecornu receives negative reactions from the left and right -wing national

First of all, the new premier should now advise the various political forces in order to set up the household and make agreements for upcoming decisions, the Élysée Palace said. It should be meant that Lecornu probes which parties could be part of a coalition, who could tolerate it or at least be willing to do a common thing on individual topics.

Macron puts Lecornu’s term in the sign of the defense of independence and strength of France. He was convinced that on this basis it was possible to agree between the political forces. However, the first reactions of the previous opposition were anything but positive.

The LFI left party said that Lecornu had to be expressed. The Greens called the appointment a provocation. The socialists said: “Emmanuel Macron insisted on a path in which no socialist will take part.” And if Lecornu did not turn away from Macron’s politics, it would have the same fate, he would suffer the same fate as his predecessors. The right leadership figure Marine Le Pen once again summons that a new parliamentary choice is inevitable. The premier will then be called Jordan Bardella – her political draw son at the racial emblem.

In contrast, there was congratulations for the new Macron’s center. The conservative républicains hope for unity with Lecornu. In the past two governments, their people were part of the respective cabinet.

Complicated political starting position makes it difficult to govern

The National Assembly has been deeply divided since the parliamentary election last year. Macron’s middle people, Le Pens right national and the left warehouse face each other as three large blocks. None of them have their own majority. Michel Barnier’s government depended on the right -wing national and failed that François Bayrou was only tolerated by the socialists, but then played their favor.

Even under the new government, it should be a balancing act to rule with the political starting point – especially in view of the first reactions. Coalitions cross -warehouse are unusual in France. Instead of compromise searches, a confrontation course is more likely to be carried out in the parliament.

Household situation makes minimum of stability necessary

After months of instability with two failed governments, France hopes to be politically progressed and calm down. This is particularly important with a view to the household. The highly indebted country must stabilize its austerity course and adopt a budget for the coming year. This should also be a feat for Lecornu.

In terms of economic output, France has the third highest debt rate in the EU to Greece and Italy with 114 percent. In absolute figures, the highest debt mountain in the euro zone is placed in the country with around 3,300 billion euros. Government spending are also among the highest in Europe. The budget deficit was last 5.8 percent. The EU opened a deficit procedure against France in July 2024.

Macron wants to come out of the line of fire

On Monday evening, the previous Premier Bayrou tried to get a commitment to save with a question of trust and possibly make it easier to get through the budget negotiations. The shot backfired as expected. Bayrou lost and had to submit the resignation of his government. Michel Barnier’s center-right cabinet had fallen in December-also on budgetary questions.

Two fallen prime minister in such a short time – President Macron had put pressure on this. The right -wing nationals asked him to clear the way for new elections with a parliamentary resolution. The Altlinke LFI even wanted to stop him. The fact that he now only has a new leader ready one day after the government fall should not only be an attempt to narrow down the budget crisis and the continued political crisis, but also to get out of the fire line himself. Possibly at the expense of Lecornu.

Because at least from the left warehouse there were already calls to take to the streets on Wednesday. This is likely to have given everyone who wanted to use the protest anyway to express their displeasure against Macron. Lecornu turned directly to the people in the country in the evening. He said he understands expectations and knew the difficulties and promised to get to work with humility.