France: Lecornu passes new budget
France's budget for the current year has been finalised. On Monday, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu survived two votes of no confidence brought by the opposition. His predecessors François Bayrou and Michel Barnier were forced to step down shortly after taking office amid disputes over the budget. Is France entering calmer political waters?
No end to political deadlock
Le Monde does not expect France's prospects to improve:
“On Monday, Lecornu expressed the desire to finally be able to move on to other issues, but his room for manoeuvre is limited. The political situation remains unchanged, and the two upcoming elections are unlikely to favour compromise. Against this backdrop it's unlikely that the government will be able to do 'useful' work, as Macron called for in his New Year's address. ... Fourteen months before the presidential election, relative inactivity is therefore more likely than breakthroughs - even though France, faced with a deluge of urgent issues, cannot afford to lose a year.”
PM on his way to presidency?
The prime minister's tactics are bearing fruit, Le Point concludes:
“The French seem to credit him with having made progress where others remained stubborn and failed. His burgeoning popularity suggests that voters of all stripes approve of his approach. He will continue with this tactic of dialogue, which makes him a man of good will who faces adversity head-on and does not raise unrealistic expectations. ... Sébastien Lecornu is advancing almost in spite of himself on the very crowded road to 2027. His chances of being elected president are undoubtedly slim. No French prime minister has ever moved directly from the office of prime minister to that of president. ... But extraordinary times offer surprising opportunities.”