French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday reappointed Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister — just four days after his resignation, LETA reports citing AFP.
Both Macron's allies and the opposition hoped for a new head of government who could help overcome the prolonged crisis related to the austerity budget. However, Macron once again chose 39-year-old Lecornu.
"The President of the Republic has appointed Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister and tasked him with forming a government," the Élysée Palace administration stated.
France plunged into a political crisis after Macron dissolved parliament last year and called for early elections in hopes of consolidating power. However, the result was only a more fragmented parliament and an increase in mandates for the far-right.
Lecornu wrote on social media platform X that he accepted this position "out of a sense of duty."
"We need to put an end to the political crisis," he stated.
He promised to do "everything possible" to ensure the budget is passed by the end of the year, adding that restoring public finances remains a "priority for our future."
Lecornu's reappointment sparked outrage.
Leader of the National Rally Jordan Bardella called it a "bad joke" and vowed to immediately seek a vote of no confidence against the new government.
A spokesperson for the far-left stated that Lecornu's return is a blatant disrespect for the French people.
The Socialists promised to remove Lecornu's government if he does not agree to repeal the 2023 pension reform, which raised the retirement age from 62 to 64 years.
The French parliament had previously voted to dismiss Lecornu's predecessors twice due to measures aimed at reducing public spending.
