French President Emmanuel Macron has reappointed Sébastien Lecornu as prime minister, just days after accepting his resignation following the abrupt collapse of his short-lived government.
“The President of the Republic has named Mr Sébastien Lecornu Prime Minister and charged him with forming a government,” the French presidency announced in a statement on Friday.
Lecornu, who had resigned earlier in the week after a stormy cabinet backlash, acknowledged the political turmoil facing France and pledged to restore stability.
“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,” he wrote on X.
The 38-year-old, initially seen as a surprise pick for prime minister, had unveiled his cabinet on Sunday, only for it to trigger dissent both inside and outside the government. By Monday, he offered his resignation, which President Macron accepted before later being tasked with consulting opposition parties on a possible successor.
After two days of political wrangling, Macron ultimately turned back to Lecornu, reappointing him to lead a new government amid deepening divisions in parliament and rising public frustration.
The decision drew strong criticism from opposition leaders. Far-right National Rally leader Jordan Bardella called the move “a bad joke, a democratic disgrace, and a humiliation for the French people,” while Marine Le Pen accused Macron of showing “contempt for voters” and renewed calls for fresh elections.
Left-wing leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon mocked the reappointment, saying: “Macron can do nothing other than Macron.”
France is currently grappling with a growing budget crisis and fears of prolonged political instability, prompting comparisons to Italy’s history of fragile coalition governments.
In an effort to steady his administration, Lecornu promised to make his new government more inclusive and said that key issues raised during recent consultations would now be debated openly in parliament.
He also announced that ministers joining his cabinet must agree to forgo any presidential ambitions ahead of the 2027 election, a move seen as an attempt to curb internal rivalry.
“All ambitions are legitimate, but those who join the government must commit to stepping back from presidential ambitions for 2027,” Lecornu said.