Political Reactions to Sébastien Lecornu's Reappointment Highlight Deep Divisions

On October 10, 2025, President Emmanuel Macron reappointed Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister amid a turbulent political crisis that had shaken the French government earlier in the week. Lecornu had resigned just hours after forming his previous government following backlash over some appointments, including that of Bruno Le Maire as Minister of the Armed Forces. However, he accepted the reappointment, emphasizing a duty to restore stability and renewal within the government, focusing on diversity of skills and excluding certain controversial figures such as Bruno Retailleau, the outgoing Minister of the Interior. Macron granted Lecornu "carte blanche" to negotiate with political parties and make necessary governmental appointments, with the objective of presenting a 2026 budget for parliamentary approval before year-end.

Despite this mandate, the political atmosphere remains highly charged. Opposition parties across the spectrum have voiced strong criticism. Left-wing groups like La France Insoumise (LFI) and far-right parties such as Rassemblement National (RN) have vowed to censure Lecornu's government immediately. LFI's coordinator condemned the appointment as "a new slap in the face to the French people" and announced plans to submit a motion to impeach President Macron. RN leader Jordan Bardella labeled the government "a coalition without any future."

The Socialist Party denied rumors of any arrangement with Lecornu to avoid censure, with their secretary-general Pierre Jouvet decrying such reports as "total disinformation." Ecologist leader Marine Tondelier expressed disbelief, deeming there were no valid arguments against censuring Lecornu's government and criticizing Macron for clinging to power despite electoral setbacks.

On the other hand, a significant majority within the conservative Les Républicains (LR) party expressed support for the future government, with 41 out of 50 LR deputies backing Lecornu in a virtual meeting. Many deputies favored active participation in the government, although party leader Laurent Wauquiez personally opposed this stance but pledged to respect the majority decision.

Lecornu has underlined his intent to open parliamentary discussions on all contentious issues, including the sensitive pension reform. The broader political landscape remains tense, with several opposition factions demanding the dissolution of the National Assembly and early elections, underscoring the deep divisions following Lecornu's reappointment as Prime Minister.