Paris (EFE).- The acting French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu ruled out on Wednesday the prospect of an early legislative election, stating that there is ground for parliamentary agreements; however, he ruled out continuing as head of government and asked President Emmanuel Macron to appoint a replacement within 48 hours.
After two days of consultations with all moderate parliamentary groups, Lecornu, a loyal Macronist, concluded that there is sufficient consensus on the urgency of adopting a 2026 budget before late 2025, as well as the will to reach compromises to achieve it.
“We have a fragmented National Assembly with possibilities for compromise. A majority opposes early legislative elections, not out of fear, but because they believe the result would be similar and the gridlock would persist,” Lecornu said in an interview on the French public television channel France 2.
Minutes earlier, Lecornu had gone to the Élysée Palace, where he spent an hour explaining the decisions over the last two days to Macron: “I recommended to the president that he appoint a prime minister within 48 hours,” Lecornu said.
“My mission is over,” he insisted, stopping rumors that he might extend his mandate while declining to fuel speculation about his successor: “That is up to the president… But it should be someone without presidential ambitions.”
Lecornu assured that if Macron follows his advice, he will meet with political leaders within the next two days to “face the final negotiations” and “evaluate the balance of power” of each leader before choosing the new head of government.
Recently, there has been talk that, after appointing three prime ministers from the right and center, the president may choose one from the left wing, as socialists, communists, and ecologists are asking for.
In the current context, where all parties have established their boundaries, Lecornu confirmed that “everyone will have to compromise.”
He reiterated that the priority must be the 2026 budget because France’s credibility and the well-being of its citizens depend on it.
He said the draft he presented is no longer relevant and that the new prime minister and his government will present a new one as soon as possible.
The acting PM assured that no issue should be out of the debate. Although he recalled that he would not be part of it, he noted that this includes the controversial pension reform adopted in 2023 without a parliamentary vote.
Lecornu, who also holds the defense portfolio, the very same one he had when he was appointed prime minister, said that the current geopolitical context advises against Macron’s resignation. Macron directs the country’s foreign and security policy.
He said that the international tension Macron must manage should not be underestimated because France is not self-sufficient, and the president represents the voice of the country.
The ball is now in the president’s court. If he follows the recommendations of his trusted advisor, he will have to find a prime minister who can form a parliamentary majority.
It will be a difficult task, considering the statements of various political leaders who have visited Lecornu’s office over the last two days.
The left demands a new prime minister from their side, but the right says they will not accept one. However, issues such as the taxation of the wealthy and pension reform reveal very different positions.
Meanwhile, the threat of a motion of no confidence against the new government looms large.
Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally and Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s left-wing La France Insoumise have not hesitated to wield it. EFE
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