Macron Holds Urgent Talks as Deadline to Name New Prime Minister Nears
President Emmanuel Macron met with key political leaders at the Elysee Palace on Friday for a crucial round of talks, just hours before his self-imposed deadline to appoint a new prime minister. The meeting came as France’s central bank chief warned that ongoing political instability is starting to hurt economic growth.
At 47, Macron is under growing pressure to find his sixth prime minister in less than two years. He needs a leader who can bridge the centre-right and centre-left divide to pass the 2026 national budget through a deeply fragmented parliament.
The Elysee described the meeting as a “moment of collective responsibility.” Analysts quickly interpreted this as a signal that Macron could call snap parliamentary elections if no consensus is reached on a candidate.
Leaders from the left, right, and centre attended the talks, but both the far-right National Rally (RN) and the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) were excluded — despite being two of the largest forces in the National Assembly. The duration of the talks was unclear, but Macron’s 48-hour deadline was set to expire late Friday evening.
Who Could Macron Choose as Prime Minister?
According to Le Parisien, Macron may reappoint Sebastien Lecornu, who resigned on Monday after just 27 days in office. The report also suggested that Macron hasn’t ruled out another snap election if party leaders reject his choice.
Other potential candidates being discussed in political circles include Jean-Louis Borloo, Pierre Moscovici, and Nicolas Revel, each seen as possible consensus figures.
However, bringing back Lecornu could alienate centrist and moderate allies whose cooperation Macron needs to build a functioning government capable of pushing the 2026 budget bill through parliament.
Budget Challenges Deepen France’s Political Crisis
The ongoing budget negotiations have been tense. Macron’s administration is trying to reduce the deficit while satisfying both left-wing and conservative demands. Calls from the Socialists to repeal the 2023 pension reform and raise taxes on the wealthy remain major obstacles.
Green Party leader Marine Tondelier criticized the idea of returning to Lecornu, calling it “a test that won’t work.”
Meanwhile, Gabriel Attal, head of Macron’s Renaissance party, warned that naming another prime minister without broad agreement could repeat past mistakes.
Snap Election Could Backfire on Macron
Mainstream parties in France are eager to avoid a snap election, fearing it would only strengthen the far-right RN and result in another hung parliament. The crisis is being described as one of the deepest political deadlocks in decades for the eurozone’s second-largest economy.
The Bank of France governor, François Villeroy de Galhau, warned that political uncertainty could shave 0.2 percentage points off GDP growth this year. He added that “uncertainty is the number one enemy of growth,” urging the government to keep the deficit below 4.8% of GDP by 2026. Current projections place it at 5.4% — nearly double the EU limit.
Earlier this week, credit rating agencies issued new warnings about France’s sovereign credit score, following Lecornu’s resignation just 14 hours after unveiling his cabinet.
