Rabat – French President Emmanuel Macron is facing renewed turbulence as he searches for his sixth prime minister in less than two years, amid deep political fractures and growing investor unease over the country’s soaring deficit.
The Élysée Palace said on Wednesday that Macron would name a new prime minister within 48 hours, following the resignation of Sébastien Lecornu, whose government lasted only days.
Lecornu’s short-lived administration showed the extent of France’s political paralysis, as lawmakers remain sharply divided over the national budget and key reforms.
Government spokesperson Aurore Bergé told RTL radio that the situation had reached a critical point, saying this was “the last chance” for responsible leadership to emerge and stabilize the government.
Lecornu tendered his resignation on Monday, just hours after unveiling his cabinet, a move that made his administration the shortest in modern French history.
Despite stepping down, he said in a televised interview that there was still “a path, even if a tough one,” toward passing the 2025 budget before year-end.
During his talks with party leaders, Lecornu said he had little appetite for a snap parliamentary election but acknowledged that building a governing majority would be difficult. The impasse has heightened market anxiety, with investors pressuring France to curb spending amid a widening fiscal gap.
Reform fatigue
Another flashpoint remains Macron’s contentious 2023 pension reform, which gradually raises the retirement age from 62 to 64.
Opposition lawmakers on the left have renewed calls for the law to be repealed or suspended, framing it as emblematic of Macron’s disconnect from public sentiment.
So far, rival parties have shown little sign of compromise. The Socialist Party has urged Macron to appoint a left-leaning prime minister, while Les Républicains, who participated in the outgoing government, have rejected the idea outright.
From the far-left France Unbowed, Manuel Bompard called once again for Macron’s resignation. Meanwhile, National Rally leader Jordan Bardella reiterated his demand for new parliamentary elections.
Now, French President Emmanuel Macron is facing renewed turbulence as he searches for his sixth prime minister in less than two years, amid deep political fractures and growing investor unease over the country’s soaring deficit.
After Élisabeth Borne resigned in January 2024 amid a government crisis, she was succeeded by Gabriel Attal, whose brief tenure was followed by Michel Barnier, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote in December 2024.
Macron then tapped François Bayrou in December 2024, but Bayrou’s government fell in September 2025 after losing a parliamentary confidence vote. His resignation paved the way for Sébastien Lecornu, who was appointed on 9 September 2025, only to also resign later.
Macron’s next appointment could determine whether France reclaims political stability or plunges further into gridlock as fiscal pressures mount.
