French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu Faces Urgent Deadline Amid Political Turmoil

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is racing against the clock to form a new government ahead of a critical budget deadline on Monday, as deep divisions emerge within the conservative Les Républicains (LR) party over joining his cabinet.

Just two days after his reappointment, Lecornu must present a draft budget bill to both the cabinet and parliament. This urgent task requires filling key ministerial positions immediately, a challenge complicated by France’s most severe political crisis in decades.

The LR party’s governing body declared on Saturday that “the trust and conditions are not in place” to participate in Lecornu’s government. However, according to Le Monde, a majority of LR’s members in the National Assembly favor accepting cabinet posts to exert influence over the upcoming budget.

Pension Reform: A Major Point of Contention

The pension reform, a highly controversial policy introduced under President Emmanuel Macron that raised the retirement age to 64, remains a red line for many parties on both sides of the political spectrum.

Michel Barnier, former Prime Minister and senior LR figure, outlined strict conditions for his party’s potential government participation. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Barnier emphasized that support from LR would be “demanding and faithful” to their core priorities, including maintaining pension reform, reducing the deficit, enhancing security measures, and promoting business competitiveness.

Meanwhile, the centrist Union of Democrats and Independents (UDI) announced support for Lecornu’s new government but refused to take ministerial roles. Macron’s parliamentary ally Horizons also ruled out joining any cabinet that might consider suspending the pension reform.

Opposition from the Left Threatens Government Stability

These firm stances on pension reform clash directly with left-wing parties whose backing Lecornu desperately needs to sustain his government. Olivier Faure, leader of the Socialist Party, described the situation as an “endless day” following Lecornu’s reappointment and warned that his party would vote to topple the government unless the pension reform is suspended.

As Lecornu scrambles to form a government amid these ideological divides, the fate of France’s budget and political stability hangs in the balance, with the looming Monday deadline intensifying the stakes.