French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu as the country’s new prime minister on Tuesday evening, following the ouster of Francois Bayrou’s cabinet in a parliamentary confidence vote over his budget-cutting plan. Lecornu, 39, a close ally of Macron, has served as defense minister for over three years and will now be tasked with building cross-party agreements. The handover of power is scheduled for Wednesday at noon at Matignon, the prime minister’s office.
The appointment drew mixed reactions. Former prime ministers Gabriel Attal and Edouard Philippe voiced support, highlighting Lecornu’s ability to negotiate, while opposition figures sharply criticized the move. Marine Le Pen said Macron was “playing his last card,” and LFI leader Mathilde Panot called the appointment a “provocation” on the eve of the grassroots “Block Everything” protest movement, which is calling for a nationwide standstill against Bayrou’s failed budget plan.
Credit: CGTN