French President Emmanuel Macron has named outgoing Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu as the country’s new prime minister, tasking him with steering a fractured parliament and securing approval for the 2026 budget.
The appointment follows the resignation of François Bayrou, who stepped down on Monday after just nine months in office. Macron accepted Bayrou’s departure, which came amid mounting criticism over his inability to deliver on a key pledge—passing a contentious plan to rein in France’s soaring deficit.
