September 11, 2025 | 04:22 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed his close defense minister and ally, Sebastien Lecornu, as the new Prime Minister of France. Lecornu replaces the former Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, who resigned after losing a vote of no confidence.
Lecornu, 39, becomes the fifth prime minister in less than two years. He faces significant challenges ahead, including resolving the deepening political crisis as protests are expected to unfold in the coming days.
"The President of the Republic has entrusted me with the task of building a government with a clear direction: the defence of our independence and power, the service of the French people, and political and institutional stability for the unity of the country," Lecornu said as quoted by Al Jazeera.
The French Parliament on Monday decided to dismiss Bayrou. He was ousted after proposing a budget cut of US$51 billion to address the national debt crisis. The official handover of power between Bayrou and Lecornu took place on Wednesday, September 10, 2025.
Macron's decision to choose Lecornu, according to analysts, indicates his intention to continue the minority government that supports his pro-business economic reform agenda. In the 577-member National Assembly, the left-wing bloc, which opposes Macron's pro-business policies, holds the most seats but not enough to form a government.
Lecornu's appointment, a former conservative, risks alienating the center-left Socialist Party of France. This leaves Macron's government dependent on Marine Le Pen and the right-wing National Rally for parliamentary support.
Macron Rocked by Protests in France
Amid Macron's struggle with the collapse of his fourth government in less than two years, French citizens took to the streets this week in the "Block Everything" protests. This movement threatens to cause havoc in the public sector in France.
"The public authorities and the government have betrayed us so much that I’m not sure they can really meet the expectations of the people," said Louise Nechin, a left-wing activist in Paris.
The protest action draws comparisons to the 2018 "yellow vest" demonstrations, during which protesters set barricades and emergency vehicles on fire. The November 2018 protests, sparked by plans to increase fuel taxes, evolved into a rebellion against Macron's policies and posed the biggest challenge to his presidency at the time.
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