French President Emmanuel Macron has reappointed Sébastien Lecornu as prime minister, only days after accepting his resignation following the abrupt collapse of his short-lived government.
The presidency confirmed the move in a statement on Friday, saying Macron had reappointed Lecornu and tasked him with forming a new administration.
Reacting to the decision, Lecornu wrote on X that France was at a critical moment and needed stability. “We must put an end to this political crisis that is exasperating the French people and to this instability that is detrimental to France’s image and its interests,” he said.
Lecornu’s first stint as prime minister lasted just a few days. After presenting his cabinet on Sunday, the lineup drew instant criticism — even from within his own camp. By Monday morning, he submitted his resignation, which Macron accepted. But in an unexpected twist, the president later asked him to lead talks with opposition leaders to identify his successor.
Two days of consultations ended with Macron reappointing the same man he had just let go, a decision that has deepened France’s political uncertainty and drawn widespread criticism.
Far-right National Rally leader Jordan Bardella called the move “a bad joke, a democratic disgrace, and a humiliation for the French people.” His party’s figurehead, Marine Le Pen, demanded fresh elections, saying Lecornu’s return showed “Macron’s contempt for voters.”
On the far left, Jean-Luc Mélenchon mocked the president’s decision, writing, “Macron can do nothing other than Macron.”
The reappointment comes as France faces a worsening budget crisis and comparisons to Italy’s revolving-door governments.
Lecornu has since promised to make his new government more inclusive and to open parliamentary debates on issues raised during talks with party leaders.
He also introduced a new rule for anyone joining his cabinet: they must give up any plans to run in the 2027 presidential election. “All ambitions are legitimate and useful,” he wrote, “but those who join the government must commit to disengaging themselves from the presidential ambitions for 2027.”
The condition could rule out several prominent political figures. Lecornu’s previous cabinet had already faced backlash for being filled with Macron loyalists, despite earlier pledges of renewal.
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