PARIS : Lecornu, appointed by President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday as the fifth prime minister in just two years, succeeds François Bayrou, who was ousted in a parliamentary vote over his deficit-reduction plans. A loyal Macron ally and former defence minister, Lecornu is expected to uphold the president’s pro-business economic agenda while seeking “new policy directions.”

His immediate test will be presenting a streamlined 2026 budget by October 7, with a fallback deadline of October 13. France’s deficit reached 5.8% of GDP in 2024, the highest in the euro zone. While parties agree on the urgency of reducing it, they remain divided over whether to cut spending, raise taxes, or both.

Meanwhile, protests swept through French cities, expressing anger at Macron, proposed austerity, and what demonstrators called a disconnected political class. The unrest underscored the turbulent backdrop against which Lecornu must steer both government policy and public sentiment.