France’s outgoing prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, expressed optimism that snap parliamentary elections could still be avoided, saying most lawmakers were ready to cooperate on passing the 2026 budget to maintain political stability. Lecornu stated that “a path still exists” for President Emmanuel Macron to appoint a new premier within 48 hours.
Lecornu, who resigned earlier this week but was asked by Macron to continue consultations, said several political groups had agreed that failing to pass a budget this year would be too risky. He also hinted at the possibility of forming a non-political, technocratic government to overcome the impasse.
The former defence minister acknowledged that France’s soaring budget deficit—expected to exceed 5.5% of GDP—remains a major concern. He urged parties to compromise to preserve the country’s fiscal credibility and political order.
Despite ongoing divisions, Lecornu said he was “quite optimistic” about progress, emphasizing that the goal was close. However, he noted that disagreements over Macron’s pension reform, which raised the retirement age to 64, remained a key sticking point in negotiations with left-wing parties.