French President Emmanuel Macron has reappointed Sébastien Lecornu as prime minister, just days after Lecornu resigned and his government collapsed after only 14 hours. Lecornu, a centrist ally of Macron, said he accepted the role “out of duty” and pledged to deliver a budget by the end of the year and address daily life issues for citizens.
The reappointment comes as France faces its worst domestic crisis since Macron first won the presidency in 2017. Lecornu had resigned on Monday after facing fierce criticism from opposition parties for refusing to broaden his government to reflect the divided parliament. He quit before attending his first cabinet meeting or making his first policy speech.
Opposition parties reacted with anger. Jordan Bardella, president of Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally, called the reappointment a “bad joke” and a “humiliation for the French people,” vowing to back a no-confidence vote. The Socialist party expressed surprise, and Green party leader Marine Tondelier described the move as “incredible.”
Macron’s centrist Renaissance party defended the decision, with MP Shannon Seban saying it ensured “stability.” However, critics see it as a refusal to broaden the government to include other political views. Julien Aubert, vice-president of the right-wing Les Républicains, called it a “provocation.”
Lecornu, 39, previously served as defence minister and is the third French prime minister in a year. He must now form a new government quickly to begin work on the 2026 budget, with parliament divided among three blocs: left, far right, and centre, with no clear majority. France’s central bank chief warned that political uncertainty is harming economic growth.
