France President Emmanuel Macron unveils new government but PM Sebastien Lecornu faces risk of being toppled

France President Emmanuel Macron named a new government on Sunday, putting together a team under Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, who risks being toppled in a deeply divided parliament. The new cabinet lineup was unveiled nearly a month after Lecornu's appointment, with many key government members keeping their jobs. Roland Lescure, a close ally of French President Emmanuel Macron with a left-wing background, was appointed finance minister in a new government led by Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, the Elysee palace said. Former finance minister Bruno Le Maire was appointed defence minister. Several key ministers remained in their post, including Jean-Noel Barrot at the foreign ministry, Bruno Retailleau at the interior ministry and Gerald Darmanin at the justice ministry.

France's new Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu was under mounting pressure on Sunday to pull together a cabinet as he struggled to ensure support on the left and right. French politics has been in turmoil since President Emmanuel Macron gambled on snap elections last summer in the hopes of bolstering his authority. The move backfired, producing a parliament fractured between three rival blocs.

Lecornu's two immediate predecessors, Francois Bayrou and Michel Barnier, were ousted in a standoff over France's austerity budget in a deeply divided parliament.


In early September, Macron named 39-year-old Lecornu the seventh prime minister of his mandate in a bid to defuse a deepening political crisis. He plumped for one of his closest allies rather than seeking to broaden the appeal of the government across the political spectrum.

For the past three weeks Lecornu has held a series of consultations with centrist allies and opposition leaders on the left and right in a bid to agree a non-aggression pact in parliament and adopt the budget.

No party has enough seats to govern on its own.

FAQs

Q1. Who is France Prime Minister?
A1. France Prime Minister is Sebastien Lecornu.

Q2. Who is France President?
A2. France President is Emmanuel Macron.