French PM urges end to ‘ridiculous spectacle’ as budget deadline looms
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Mr Sebastien Lecornu was reappointed French Prime Minister late on Oct 10.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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PARIS – Reappointed Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Oct 11 urged France’s political parties to work together to put an end to the “ridiculous spectacle” seen in recent days, as he faces an Oct 13 deadline to present a budget.
President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to reappoint Mr Lecornu
Mr Lecornu criticised the political deadlock that has gripped the country. “What is ridiculous is the spectacle that the entire political world has been putting on for several days now,” he said.
Budget approval still faces big hurdles
The prime minister urged political parties to overcome their differences to pass a budget by the end of 2025, a crucial step in bringing France’s widening fiscal deficit under control.
“I am setting myself a fairly clear mission, and then either the political forces will help me and we will work together to achieve it, or they will not,” Mr Lecornu said.
“It is about how we ensure that on 31 December there is a budget for social security and a budget for the state.”
Asked about the potential suspension of France’s controversial pension reform, Mr Lecornu said “all debates are possible as long as they are realistic,” signalling potential flexibility on a key demand from left-wing parties.
Mr Macron reappointed his staunch supporter late on Oct 10, just days after Mr Lecornu had resigned from the post
Mr Lecornu’s 27 days in office made him the shortest-serving prime minister in modern French history, but there is no guarantee he will last any longer this time round.
Leftist, hard-left and far-right parties all said they would vote to topple Mr Lecornu, leaving him reliant on the Socialists, whose leaders have so far kept mum on their plans.
Mr Lecornu’s inbox is pressing.
Pension reform a key red line
By Oct 13, he must present a draft budget Bill – first to Cabinet, and then on the same day to Parliament. That means, at a minimum, the ministers responsible for finance, budget and social security must be appointed by then.
Neither the Elysee Palace nor Mr Lecornu’s office gave immediate indication on when he would name his Cabinet, or who would be in it.
The right-wing Les Republicains party and the centrist UDI, which both took part in previous governments formed after 2024’s snap election, said in separate statements on Oct 11 they would not join the new cabinet led by Mr Lecornu.
LR’s governing body confirmed that “the trust and conditions are not in place” to take part in the government, it said.
Nevertheless, its members “will be responsible and will not be the architects of chaos”, it added.
The pension reform remains a key red line, with former Prime Minister Michel Barnier, a member of LR, expressing opposition to any suspension of the measure.
However, both parties pledged to support key pieces of legislation under certain conditions.
Lecornu aims to cut deficit
In a post on social media platform X on Oct 10, Mr Lecornu said that whoever joined his government would have to renounce their personal ambitions to succeed Mr Macron in 2027, an impending contest that has injected instability into France’s weak minority governments and fractious legislature.
He pledged a Cabinet of “renewal and diversity”.
Mr Lecornu has not disclosed any details about what is in the budget draft, but he did say after he resigned that the deficit must be reduced to between 4.7 per cent and 5 per cent of economic output in 2026, a bigger gap than the 4.6 per cent targeted by his predecessor. The deficit is forecast at 5.4 per cent in 2025.
It remains to be seen what he will do about repealing Mr Macron’s pensions reform and adding a billionaires’ tax – two measures the Socialists had made their price to support his government. REUTERS
