France's new prime minister: Macron's last chance?
French President Macron has appointed his long-standing confidant Sébastien Lecornu as the country's new Prime Minister. The former defence minister succeeds François Bayrou, who resigned after a failed vote of confidence. Commentators doubt this was the right choice.
The king has appointed a faithful servant
Macron's decision to appoint an unconditionally loyal confidant as the new prime minister is an affront to parliament and the population, writes The Spectator:
“Lecornu is not a compromise candidate or a unifying figure, he's Macron's man, appointed to hold the line and protect the president's political legacy. ... To parliament, Lecornu's appointment is a defiant message: the president will not bend to demands for a broader coalition or a left-leaning premier. ... To the French public, braced for nationwide strikes, it's a slap in the face, a signal that Macron remains cocooned in his inner circle, deaf to the clamour for change.”
Constant frustration driving French to the right
The citizens of France have simply had enough, Helsingin Sanomat is convinced:
“The French are frustrated and have lost faith in the ability of politics to bring about change. Similarly, France has lost trust in the media and many national institutions. On such a foundation nothing sustainable can be built; the only constant is the rejection of one government after another and Macron. And with presidential and parliamentary elections slated for 2027, the situation is coming to a head. The far right will then reap the rewards.”
The presidential system has had its day
Only a change of system can save the country now, writes historian Nicolas Rousselier in The Conversation France:
“The Fifth Republic [with the strong position it accords the president] initially brought stability to the government and served as a driving force for the country's modernisation and social progress. That is no longer the case. The disappearance of a stable majority to support the president, compounded by the revelation of the colossal debt burden, is plunging us into disillusionment about the virtues attributed to the Fifth Republic. For the first time since the creation of the Fifth Republic in 1958, there is no other option but to return to the parliamentary system.”
The inequality has become unbearable
By appointing Sébastien Lecornu, the president has chosen to maintain his present course, which is disastrous for France, L’Humanité criticises:
“Defeated in the snap parliamentary elections in 2024, Emmanuel Macron is the face of a capitalist oligarchy that has never hesitated to renounce democracy when its privileges are threatened. He represents a wealthy class that resists any sharing of wealth and power. ... A tiny minority is grabbing a growing share of the national wealth. This is unbearable. France, the homeland of equality, will no longer tolerate these abysmal, outrageous inequalities. And its anger is about to boil over, no matter who is sitting in the prime minister's office.”
Abandoned majority wants to be heard
The new PM must find answers to the people's most pressing concerns, Le Figaro demands:
“Although he heads a minority government, Sébastien Lecornu must act as the voice of the forgotten, invisible and abandoned majority. Unbearable tax and regulatory pressure, excessive spending, uncontrolled immigration, rampant insecurity. ... The concerns shared by more than two-thirds of the French population are well known. ... Success is not guaranteed, but the alternative, that of muddling through, would lead to failure and disgrace.”
Politicians should put the public good first
The political class must learn to overcome its differences and work together, NRC stresses:
“To steer France into calmer waters, the parliamentarians themselves need to take responsibility for the chaos that has ensued and make an effort to reach compromises. Former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal's proposal to appoint a kind of informateur to work with multiple parties to develop a coalition programme sounds interesting. This will require politicians who do not put themselves, the next elections or street protests first, but who make a healthy future for France their priority.”
Playing into the hands of the far right
Macron is further strengthening Le Pen's party with the appointment, The Guardian warns:
“Continuing instability and paralysis in the political mainstream will only enhance the far right's prospects in presidential elections in 2027. But without a fundamental strategic shift in the Élysée, there is no reason to believe that Mr Bayrou's successor will fare any better. ... On entering office, Mr Macron presented himself as the grownup political antidote to the rise of the far right. But the rancorous chaos at the heart of mainstream French politics is the gift that keeps on giving to Ms Le Pen. Finally, belatedly, Mr Macron should accept the consequences of last summer's snap election and make a deal with the left.”
Spoilt citizens are to blame
De Telegraaf blames the French people for the chaos in the country:
“The problem lies in the mindset of many French workers who won't (or are not willing to) acknowledge how good they actually have it, and take to the barricades as soon as they see the slightest threat to their prosperity or social benefits. ... Elsewhere in Europe workers understand where the expression 'to live like God in France' comes from. Now it's up to the new Prime Minister Lecornu to pick up the political pieces and get the country's government back on track - an almost impossible task with such a deeply spoiled population.”