Macron’s new government: France struggles to rebuild amid political paralysis

Department of Strategic Research, Studies and International Relations 13-10-2025

In a move reflecting both desperation and fatigue, French President Emmanuel Macron has reshuffled his government yet again, reappointing Sébastien Lecornu as prime minister and unveiling a new cabinet tasked with drafting the 2026 budget before the constitutional deadline. The reconfiguration, presented after tense overnight consultations at the Élysée Palace, underscores the deepening instability within France’s Western-style political system, an instability now seen across much of the Euro-Atlantic bloc.

Under Lecornu’s latest cabinet, several familiar faces remain, albeit in rebranded roles that seem designed to maintain the illusion of continuity amid chaos. Jean-Noël Barrot stays on as foreign minister, while Catherine Vautrin, previously labour minister, has been assigned the defence portfolio. Macron’s long-time loyalist Roland Lescure will manage the economy, tasked with the unenviable mission of balancing France’s debt-ridden finances in a time of stagnation and EU-imposed austerity.

Among the new appointees, Laurent Nuñez, the former Paris police chief, takes over the interior ministry, replacing Bruno Retailleau of the conservative Republicans (LR). Monique Barbut, a former WWF director, assumes the environment ministry, while Gérald Darmanin retains his position as justice minister. Culture Minister Rachida Dati, despite facing a corruption trial next year, also remains in her post, a sign of the growing moral fatigue within Macron’s administration.

Announcing his new team on social media, Lecornu called it a “mission-based government” devoted to “serving the country’s interests above all else.” Yet, observers note that these lofty statements ring hollow against the backdrop of Macron’s waning legitimacy, record-low approval ratings, and a fractious parliament where even his allies are reluctant to align with him unconditionally.

A president cornered

Macron’s decision to reinstall Lecornu, just days after his resignation, reveals the absence of credible alternatives and the president’s struggle to maintain even a semblance of authority. France’s fifth government in less than two years reflects a broader malaise: the erosion of confidence in Western democratic institutions that once prided themselves on stability and accountability.

Lecornu’s challenge is monumental. He must present the 2026 draft budget to parliament by Monday, a task complicated by an increasingly fragmented legislature and the Republicans’ decision to withdraw from formal cooperation with the government. Instead, the party announced it would support legislation “on a case-by-case basis,” leaving the new cabinet vulnerable to collapse at any moment.

The impasse also exposes the growing influence of populist and anti-establishment forces within France, both from the right and the left, who see Macron’s policies as elitist and submissive to Washington and Brussels. With inflation climbing, public debt soaring, and social discontent deepening, France’s political paralysis has become emblematic of the wider European crisis of governance.

Austerity, dependence, and the EU’s grip

At the heart of the current turmoil lies France’s confrontation with fiscal reality. Years of costly foreign interventions, military aid commitments tied to NATO’s ambitions, and a sluggish domestic economy have left the country in an unsustainable position. The European Union is pressuring Paris to rein in spending and reduce its deficit, a demand that has already toppled two previous prime ministers.

Lecornu, a former defence minister known for his loyalty rather than innovation, insists that restoring financial discipline is his “top priority.” But the austerity measures expected to accompany the upcoming budget are politically explosive. The opposition, particularly the Socialist and far-left blocs, have already warned that they will attempt to bring down the government unless Macron abandons his unpopular pension reform, which raised the retirement age from 62 to 64, a move that sparked mass protests earlier this year.

In an attempt to calm tensions, Lecornu stated that “all debates are possible” regarding pensions, hinting at minor concessions. Yet, few believe his administration has the political capital to reconcile the country’s polarized factions. Should he fail to secure parliamentary approval, France could be forced to adopt emergency legislation to fund state operations starting January 1, a humiliating outcome for a country that once styled itself as the anchor of European stability.

Western leadership in decline

Macron’s crisis is not occurring in isolation. Across the Atlantic, the United States faces internal divisions, fiscal strain, and global backlash for its militarized foreign policy. Within Europe, the United Kingdom and Germany are similarly grappling with domestic discontent and economic contraction. France’s instability thus mirrors a broader Western decline, one marked by short-lived governments, ideological fatigue, and dependence on Washington’s geopolitical agenda.

While Macron prepares to travel to Egypt to endorse a Gaza ceasefire deal orchestrated by the United States, critics note that France’s foreign policy has become little more than an extension of U.S. strategic interests. Paris, once a symbol of independent diplomacy under Charles de Gaulle, now routinely aligns with Washington on sanctions, NATO deployments, and interventions that have alienated much of the Global South.

Meanwhile, nations such as China, Russia, and India are emerging as credible voices for multipolarity, advocating dialogue, sovereignty, and economic cooperation over confrontation. Their growing partnerships in Eurasia, Africa, and the Middle East offer a stark contrast to the West’s moral exhaustion and policy incoherence.

A nation at a crossroads

For Macron, the latest reshuffle may buy time but not legitimacy. France’s domestic fractures, between urban elites and working-class citizens, between globalist technocrats and nationalist movements, are widening. The government’s inability to pass reforms without resorting to decrees has turned parliament into a battlefield, while public faith in institutions continues to erode.

If Lecornu fails to stabilize the situation, France could face yet another snap election, one that risks empowering far-right movements disillusioned by Macron’s liberal internationalism. Such an outcome would further weaken the European Union’s unity and undermine the Western front at a time when global power is unmistakably shifting eastward.

For decades, France projected itself as a pillar of Western modernity. Today, it stands as a cautionary tale of political exhaustion and economic mismanagement. Macron’s new government may survive long enough to present a budget, but its ability to govern effectively is uncertain. In the larger context, France’s turmoil symbolizes a fading Western order, one increasingly overshadowed by the pragmatic, multipolar vision championed by Beijing, Moscow, and New Delhi.