What's behind latest shift of France's government?
Observers note that Lecornu faces several key challenges: forming a government, managing potential no-confidence votes, and addressing the unresolved issues left by Bayrou's departure.
PARIS, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday named former Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu as the new head of government, one day after Francois Bayrou's cabinet lost a confidence vote in the National Assembly.
Lecornu, 39 years old, became the fifth prime minister during Macron's second term, which began in May 2022. Bayrou's predecessor, Michel Barnier, was also forced out by a no-confidence vote in December 2024.
WHAT LEADS TO GOVERNMENT'S COLLAPSE
Bayrou's budget proposal to reduce public spending was the main trigger of opposition in the National Assembly. On Monday, 364 deputies voted against the plan, 194 supported, and 15 abstained.
The budget plan sought to address France's mounting debt problem, which Bayrou described as an urgent issue. Official figures show that France's public debt stood at 3,345.8 billion euros (about 3,914.6 billion U.S. dollars), or 114 percent of its gross domestic product, at the end of the first quarter of 2025.
Bayrou's proposal included reducing national holidays, freezing welfare benefits, and cutting public spending, aimed at saving around 44 billion euros. However, his proposal has sparked widespread backlash.
Before the Monday confidence vote, unions and opposition parties had scheduled a nationwide standstill on Wednesday, known as the "Block Everything" movement, to protest the austerity plan.
A fragmented Parliament further deepened the challenges facing the French government. Following snap elections in 2024, no political bloc secured a clear majority in the National Assembly, leaving the minority government vulnerable and unstable.
Bayrou's decision to seek a confidence vote, instead of seeking a compromise with opposition parties, also hastened his downfall. In August, he called the vote a "moment of truth," a move many analysts described as a strategic misstep.
WORLD RESPONSE
The political crisis in France made international headlines on Tuesday. Western media highlighted the political instability within Macron's administration.
The New York Times reported on the matter under the headline "French Government Collapses, Again, Deepening Paralysis," reflecting concerns over chronic political instability. The Guardian noted that Bayrou's fall and a divided parliament would hardly provide the stability needed by President Macron.
Financial markets also reacted with caution. According to Les Echos, a French economic daily, Fitch Ratings is expected to review France's credit rating this week, with analysts predicting a potential downgrade to A+, signaling a historic shift since France had a triple-A rating before the 2008 financial crisis.
WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR NEW PM
Unlike previous delays in naming a new prime minister, Macron quickly appointed Lecornu, signaling urgency in stabilizing the political and economic situation.
Lecornu, who has served as defense minister for over three years, is considered a close ally of Macron.
French political parties' reactions to the nomination are mixed. Former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe praised Lecornu for his ability to negotiate and reach an agreement with the other parties. Marine Le Pen, former presidential candidate of National Rally, criticized the move, stating that Macron is "playing his last card of Macronism."
Mathilde Panot, president of the La France Insoumise parliamentary group, condemned Lecornu's nomination as a "provocation" amid the rising protests. She accused Macron of pursuing "the same policy for the rich, who are in the minority in the Assembly and the country."
Observers note that Lecornu faces several key challenges: forming a government, managing potential no-confidence votes, and addressing the unresolved issues left by Bayrou's departure.
One of his immediate priorities will be drafting the government budget plan, a political Waterloo for several French prime ministers, but also a mission the government cannot avoid or divert from. (1 euro = 1.17 U.S. dollar) ■