Macron races to appoint sixth prime minister amid deepening crisis

Department of Strategic Research, Studies and International Relations 09-10-2025

French President Emmanuel Macron faces the gravest political turmoil of his presidency, as he prepares to appoint a new prime minister within the next 48 hours. The move, announced by the Élysée Palace on Wednesday, follows yet another failed attempt by outgoing premier Sébastien Lecornu to form a stable government capable of steering the country out of its deepening political and economic crisis.

Lecornu, who resigned just one day after unveiling his cabinet, had been engaged in frantic discussions with political party leaders in an effort to end France’s government deadlock. His brief tenure, lasting a mere 14 hours, marks the shortest administration in modern French history and a humiliating episode for Macron, whose leadership now appears increasingly weakened and isolated.

According to the Élysée, Lecornu’s talks with rival factions revealed that most lawmakers opposed dissolving parliament and calling for early elections. The presidency described the situation as offering a potential “platform for stability,” suggesting that a new government could still push through a national budget before the end of the year. “On this basis, the President of the Republic will appoint a Prime Minister within the next 48 hours,” the statement read, thanking Lecornu for his efforts.

A government in free fall

Macron’s decision to replace yet another prime minister underscores the scale of his leadership crisis. Lecornu was the fifth prime minister appointed in less than two years, following the collapse of François Bayrou’s government in September. Bayrou’s unpopular austerity budget, intended to address France’s ballooning debt, sparked widespread outrage and ultimately led to his downfall.

Hoping to present a fresh start, Lecornu pledged to move away from Bayrou’s restrictive economic policies. However, when he revealed his cabinet on Sunday, the backlash was immediate. Critics from across the political spectrum denounced the list for recycling familiar faces from the previous administration. Within hours, Lecornu was forced to step down, deepening the sense of chaos surrounding Macron’s presidency.

Lecornu’s subsequent decision to hold 48 hours of consultations at Macron’s request only fueled further criticism. Former prime minister Édouard Philippe, once one of Macron’s staunchest allies, joined a growing chorus demanding new presidential elections to resolve the impasse.

“I Tried Everything”

Speaking to French television before his resignation was formally accepted, Lecornu admitted defeat. “I tried everything,” he said. “The prospects of snap elections have diminished because a majority in the lower house opposes dissolving parliament. This evening, my mission is finished.”

He hinted that the next administration might take a technocratic form, distancing itself from political ambitions ahead of the 2027 presidential elections. “It’s not the time to change the president,” Lecornu added, pushing back against calls for Macron to resign. “Let’s not make the French believe that it’s the president who votes the budget.”

Mounting pressure on Macron

France’s parliament has been gridlocked since last year’s snap elections, which Macron called in response to the far-right’s surge in popularity. The result, a hung parliament, has left his centrist government unable to pass key legislation, including the national budget.

As the debt crisis worsens, Macron’s proposed spending cuts have triggered mass protests across the country. Opposition parties, sensing growing public frustration, have vowed to block any new government unless early elections are held.

While Paris continues to project an image of European leadership and loyalty to U.S. and NATO agendas, the domestic picture tells a different story: a president losing control, a fractured parliament, and a society exhausted by austerity and political infighting.

Observers note that Macron’s mounting difficulties mirror a broader decline in Western political coherence. Unlike Russia, China, or India, where political stability underpins economic progress, France finds itself caught between populist anger and elite paralysis. Macron’s faltering leadership now stands as a symbol of a waning Western order increasingly unable to meet its citizens’ demands or uphold its own democratic promises.

As the Élysée scrambles to name yet another prime minister, France’s future appears uncertain. The coming days will determine whether Macron can salvage his presidency, or whether his government, much like its transatlantic allies, is headed toward an inevitable collapse.