Paris – President Emmanuel Macron on tuesday appointed defense minister Sébastien Lecornu as France’s new prime minister, in a desperate bid to end a deepening political crisis that has paralyzed the government and triggered widespread public unrest. Lecornu, 39, becomes the fourth person to hold the office in less than a year, tasked with uniting a fractured parliament and navigating the country through severe economic and social turmoil.

The appointment was met with immediate and fierce opposition. A protest movement known as "Bloquons tout" ("Block everything") organized mass demonstrations across the country against the government's proposed austerity measures. The unrest led to significant disruptions, including road blockades and clashes with police. Authorities reported that 80,000 police and gendarmes were deployed nationwide, with nearly 200 people arrested by wednesday morning.

Lecornu's predecessor, François Bayrou, was ousted on september 8 after just a few months in office. His government collapsed after losing a parliamentary no-confidence vote over a contentious 2026 budget. The proposed budget, aimed at curbing France's high deficit, failed to gain support in the fragmented National Assembly, with 364 lawmakers voting to topple the government against 194 in support.

The current political instability is a direct consequence of Macron's decision to dissolve the National Assembly in june 2024. The snap legislative elections, which Macron had hoped would deliver a stronger mandate for his centrist alliance, instead resulted in a hung parliament. No single political bloc secured a majority, leaving Macron’s government unable to pass legislation without forming unpredictable alliances with opposition parties on the far-right and the left. These opposing blocs, while lacking the numbers to govern independently, have repeatedly united to challenge and defeat the government.

This legislative gridlock has forced Macron to frequently use a controversial constitutional power, Article 49.3, to push laws through without a parliamentary vote. This tactic has fueled criticism from lawmakers and the public, further cementing the perception of a fragile and embattled administration.

The crisis is set against a backdrop of serious economic challenges. France's budget deficit stands at 5.8% of its gross domestic product, nearly double the European Union's 3% ceiling. Public debt has also swelled to 114% of GDP. While Bayrou’s ouster and the ongoing turmoil have made financial markets nervous, analysts noted the absence of widespread panic, with the CAC 40 index opening slightly higher after the government's collapse.

Despite the domestic chaos, president Macron has attempted to maintain his stature as a key European leader. He recently co-hosted a meeting in Paris focused on postwar security guarantees for Ukraine, projecting an image of international leadership even as his authority at home crumbles.

As the country's new prime minister, Lecornu, a close Macron ally, faces the monumental task of building a coalition capable of passing a budget and restoring a semblance of stability. Observers warn that a continued failure to forge consensus could pose a serious risk to France’s democracy and its influential role within the European Union.