In brief
In a significant reshuffle, President Emmanuel Macron has tapped Sébastien Lecornu, former armed forces minister, to be the new Prime Minister of France just a day after François Bayrou was ousted. At 39, Lecornu becomes the seventh PM under Macron's presidency and is expected to address France's escalating public debt while navigating a complex political landscape marked by opposition from both left and right factions. His appointment comes as the country braces for potential protests against the government and faces a reevaluation of its credit rating.
Macron names ally Sébastien Lecornu as new French PM
President Emmanuel Macron has named close ally Sébastien Lecornu as the new French prime minister, 24 hours after a vote of confidence ousted François Bayrou as head of government.
Lecornu, 39, was among the favourites to take over, and he has spent the past three years as armed forces minister focusing on France's response to Russia's war in Ukraine.
In a statement the Elysée Palace said Lecornu - the seventh PM in the Macron presidency - had been given the task of consulting political parties with the aim of adopting France's next budget.
Pushing through a budget as head of a minority government was what brought down Bayrou, with left and far-right opponents condemning Lecornu's appointment.
