• Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu unveils a new cabinet amid political turmoil.
• Catherine Vautrin appointed as defense minister, overseeing military support for Ukraine.
• The government faces pressure to produce a budget before the year’s end.
• Opposition demands new elections, raising risks of a no-confidence vote.
• Macron and Lecornu must navigate a deeply fractured Parliament to secure stability.

France's newly re-appointed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has appointed a new government on October 12, aiming to stabilize the political situation and produce a budget urgently. This cabinet includes members from President Emmanuel Macron's centrist alliance, conservative allies, and individuals from outside political circles, reflecting an attempt to maintain political balance amidst ongoing turmoil, according to Le Monde and India Times.

The new cabinet must present a draft budget for 2026 by an imminent deadline, a challenging task given that Macron’s camp lacks a clear majority in the fractured Parliament. Lecornu's government faces increased pressure from opposition parties, including calls for new elections or even Macron's resignation, due to waning public confidence, according to Al Jazeera and TRT Global.

Among the significant appointments is Catherine Vautrin, who has moved from labor minister to defense minister, tasked with overseeing military support for Ukraine and countering threats from Russia. Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez assumes the interior ministry, while Roland Lescure takes charge of the economy, a pivotal role given France's economic challenges, as highlighted by South China Morning Post and TRT Global.

Lecornu, after resigning from his first cabinet attempt due to lack of new faces, is back with the mandate to form a government dedicated to drawing up a budget by year-end. He emphasizes collaboration with all mainstream political factions while dealing with rising discontent over recent reforms, including a controversial pension change, reported by Al Jazeera and South China Morning Post.