Listen: Sébastien Lecornu – Who is France’s new PM?

The political storm in France continues with new players but the same problems: paralysis in parliament, financial strain, and mounting social unrest. In the midst of this turbulence, President Emmanuel Macron once again turned to a trusted ally, Sébastien Lecornu.

But what do we know about France’s new Prime minister?

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You can find the transcript here if you prefer reading:

The political storm in France continues with new players but the same problems: paralysis in parliament, financial strain, and mounting social unrest. In the midst of this turbulence, President Emmanuel Macron once again turned to a trusted ally, Sébastien Lecornu. But what do we know about France’s new Prime minister?

At just 39, Lecornu was appointed on Wednesday prime minister, replacing a government that collapsed barely a day earlier. He has been at Macron’s side since 2017, the only minister to survive every government reshuffle. Loyal, cautious, and discreet, his career is built on proximity to power, and critics fear that that closeness could prove a liability.

He was already welcomed with protests and opposition leaders described him as “Macronism’s last shot”. Socialist Party chief Olivier Faure dismissed the idea of change, saying that Lecornu and Macron had done everything together for eight years. Marine Le Pen called it the “last bullet” of a dwindling presidency.

Still, Lecornu entered office with a daunting to-do list: pass a budget through a bitterly divided parliament, restore trust with trade unions and political opponents, and convince the French people that he represents something more than the president’s shadow.

A career politician, Lecornu started young, as a parliamentary assistant at 19, a mayor at 28, a senator by 2020. As defence minister, he championed Macron’s push for a more muscular European security policy and secured higher military budgets. Colleagues describe him as ambitious but pragmatic, someone who “knows how to manoeuvre”.

Now Lecornu’s appointment comes after Macron's gamble last summer to call early elections backfired, leaving him with no majority. France is governed ever since through fragile alliances and improvisation.
In this sense, appointing Lecornu shows continuity, not change. Macron once again picked a loyalist, rather than reaching across the aisle or acknowledging the opposition’s strength. The message to voters seemed clear, that the Élysée still believes it could muddle through with the same formula, despite repeated failures.

But for French citizens, the stakes are high. Inflation, pension reforms, and spending cuts have already fuelled anger in the streets. People no longer fear political instability; they are already living it. Lecornu is supposed to bridge divides but the math in parliament has not shifted at all. Without concessions on taxation or spending, his survival looks as uncertain as that of his predecessors.

So what comes next?

Lecornu’s first moves are cautious. He promised consultations with unions, parties, and employers, and announced his general policy statement for early October. Until then, he is biding his time and testing for common ground.

But deadlines are approaching and France needs a credible budget to satisfy markets and avoid further credit downgrades. The left demands new taxes on the rich; the right wants deeper spending cuts. While any compromise risks alienating part of the fragile coalition keeping Macron’s government afloat.

In truth, Lecornu looks less like a fresh start and more like a last chance. His appointment bought Macron some time, but time alone cannot fix a political system stuck in deadlock. And as analysts put it, Lecornu is the “last-chance prime minister”. If he fails, Macron might have no option left but to call yet another election and let the French decide for themselves.