• Sébastien Lecornu appointed Prime Minister by Emmanuel Macron following François Bayrou's resignation.
• Lecornu's main task is to consult political parties to draft France's national budget.
• The appointment comes amid significant political unrest and looming protests.
• Lecornu is Macron's fifth prime minister since 2022, emphasizing the government's instability.
• The government is under pressure as France's budget deficit surpasses the EU's threshold.

French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Sébastien Lecornu as the new prime minister on September 9, 2025, after François Bayrou was ousted following a confidence vote in the Assemblée Nationale. Lecornu, who previously served as the defense minister, becomes the fifth prime minister of Macron's second term and the seventh overall since Macron took office in 2017, indicating ongoing instability within the government, according to Le Monde and South China Morning Post.

Assigned the responsibility of navigating a politically divided parliament, Lecornu is expected to prioritize budget negotiations to address France's significant deficit, which currently stands at nearly 6% of GDP. His immediate task involves consulting various political parties to garner support for a national budget, a move considered essential for stabilizing Macron's government, as highlighted by both Al Jazeera and Dawn.

The announcement of Lecornu's appointment comes in the wake of mounting social tensions, with protests planned by the “Block Everything” movement, prompting the government to deploy approximately 80,000 police to maintain order. Political experts suggest that Lecornu's selection underscores Macron's commitment to sustaining a pro-business agenda despite the protests and popular discontent opposing his previous reforms, including tax cuts for the wealthy and a raised retirement age, according to Africa News and Le Monde.

Lecornu's appointment has drawn mixed reactions across the political spectrum, with far-right leader Marine Le Pen criticizing Macron's decision as a consolidation of loyalists while left-leaning politicians argue that excluding them could exacerbate existing tensions within the parliament. Analysts warn that Lecornu's ability to negotiate effectively will be crucial in determining the government's legislative success, particularly given the current political landscape, as mentioned by South China Morning Post and Africa News.