France’s Lecornu faces make or break moment in his first national parliament speech as PM

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu on Tuesday will address the National Assembly in what is widely seen as a make-or-break moment for his newly reappointed government, as it seeks to pass a draft budget and restore political stability

According to a Bloomberg report, the 39-year-old premier, reinstated last Friday just four days after resigning amid internal political discord, will deliver his first policy speech as head of government at 3 pm local time.

Earlier in the day, he is expected to present the 2026 draft budget to the cabinet, added the report.

Lecornu’s government faces an uphill battle to survive the week.

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Both Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally and the far-left France Unbowed have already announced plans to bring no-confidence motions against him, regardless of his remarks.

The fate of his administration may hinge on whether he can persuade opposition parties — particularly the Socialists — to abstain from those votes.

Failure to secure enough parliamentary support could force Lecornu to step down, making him the third French prime minister to fall in less than a year.

Such an outcome would leave President Emmanuel Macron with dwindling options, potentially prompting another snap legislative election — a prospect that rattled markets last year, sending French bond yields higher relative to European peers.

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“Our sole mission is to rise above and move beyond this political crisis in which we find ourselves — a crisis that has left part of our fellow citizens stunned, and perhaps also a part of the world watching us,” Bloomberg quoted Lecornu as telling ministers at a cabinet meeting on Monday.

Lecornu now faces intense pressure to distance himself from key pillars of Macron’s economic agenda, including contentious pension reforms and fiscal tightening measures. However, any significant concessions could risk alienating the president’s centrist Renaissance party and its center-right allies in parliament.

The Socialists, whose votes are pivotal in the upcoming no-confidence proceedings, are demanding sweeping changes: a reinstated wealth tax, increased corporate levies, smaller spending cuts, and a full suspension — not just a delay — of Macron’s 2023 pension law, which is gradually raising the retirement age from 62 to 64.

“If he sticks with his proposal, we won’t enter into debate on the budget and we will censure immediately,” Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure told La Tribune Dimanche. “It’s time to choose.”

But giving in to those demands could trigger defections within Macron’s base.

“It’s painful because it’s a reform Renaissance lawmakers and I completely committed to,” said Equality Minister Aurore Bergé on RMC radio.

Further complicating matters, Lecornu has pledged not to invoke Article 49.3 of the constitution — a controversial mechanism that allows the government to bypass a parliamentary vote. That commitment limits his ability to force through the budget without majority support.

Despite the political fragility, Lecornu insists France must maintain fiscal credibility. While slightly more flexible, he has signaled that the deficit should not exceed 5% of GDP, compared to 5.4% expected this year — a stance at odds with demands from the left to slow the pace of austerity.

Tuesday’s address is expected to set the tone for a turbulent political week, with the future of Lecornu’s premiership — and possibly Macron’s broader legislative agenda — hanging in the balance.

With inputs from agencies