French President Macron to name a new prime minister by Friday evening

French President Emmanuel Macron will appoint a new prime minister within 48 hours of Wednesday evening, the Elysée Palace has announced.

Outgoing Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu provided the same information during an interview earlier on Wednesday night, while also stating that his mission of negotiating with other parties was now “over”.

Speaking to French broadcaster France 2, Lecornu confirmed that he had met with the president earlier in the day to deliver the outcome of his latest round of consultations.

While he ruled out a return to the premiership during the interview, he insisted “a path is possible” and called for a government “completely disconnected from presidential ambitions for 2027.”

A path away from snap elections

Lecornu dismissed growing speculation about new parliamentary elections. “There is an absolute majority in the National Assembly opposed to dissolution,” he said, claiming that “210 MPs want a platform of stability.”

That majority, he argued, could give Macron a foundation to name a new prime minister, but refused to give any more information.

While some of Macron’s former allies -- including his ex-prime minister Édouard Philippe-- have called on him to step down after passing the 2026 budget, Lecornu firmly rejected the idea.

“It’s not the moment to change the president.” Lecornu cited global instability and France’s diplomatic role as further reasons for maintaining stability at the top.

Lecornu confirmed that a new budget bill will be submitted on Monday. “It won’t be perfect,” he admitted. “There will be a lot to debate.”

“The political crisis must be resolved, a government appointed, and a real debate opened in parliament,” Lecornu urged.

Revisiting Pension Reform

On the deeply unpopular pension reform that fueled mass protests over the past few years, Lecornu said the issue remained a “source of blockage” in parliament and that “a path must be found” to reopen debate.

Still, suspending the reform would be costly, he warned: “Giving up on it would cost no less than three billion euros by 2027.”

Throughout his short tenure, Lecornu described himself as "a monk-soldier" committed to discipline and duty rather than ambition.

He said he accepted Macron’s mission to conduct talks with other parties following his resignation “to demonstrate that I wasn’t chasing the job of prime minister.”

Asked if he considered his mission a success, Lecornu paused before admitting: “Not completely. I tried everything.”

His resignation on Monday ended the shortest premiership in modern French history, lasting only 27 days.