French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Defence Minister and long-time ally, Sébastien Lecornu, as France’s new Prime Minister, just 24 hours after the National Assembly passed a vote of no confidence that toppled François Bayrou’s government.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Elysée Palace confirmed Lecornu’s nomination, noting that he had been tasked with “consulting political parties with the aim of adopting France’s next budget.”
Lecornu, who was among the frontrunners for the position, now becomes the fifth prime minister of Macron’s second term.
His appointment came at a delicate time, as the government grapples with ballooning public debt and the challenge of passing a cost-cutting budget without a parliamentary majority.
Earlier in the day, Bayrou tendered his resignation after meeting with President Macron, following a bruising defeat in the confidence vote.
The National Assembly voted 364 to 194 to oust his government, a move widely expected after he proposed €44 billion in spending cuts.
France’s public debt has surged to €3.3 trillion (£2.8tn), representing 114% of the country’s GDP.
Analysts said Lecornu will inherit the same daunting task as his predecessor in convincing lawmakers to back tough fiscal reforms in a highly fragmented parliament.
