Prime Minister Francois Bayrou submitted his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday after France’s parliament ousted the government, plunging the country into a fresh political crisis.
Macron responded swiftly, naming Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu as the new prime minister to stabilize the government ahead of looming protests and mounting economic concerns.
On Monday, Bayrou suffered a crushing defeat in a confidence vote he had himself called, leaving Macron with the task of finding the seventh premier of his mandate.
The French president’s office said in a statement that Macron “took note” of the outcome and would appoint a new premier “in the next days”, ending speculation over whether he could instead call snap elections.
Bayrou was seen by AFP correspondents arriving at the Elysee Palace to hand in his resignation and leaving just over an hour later.
A source close to Bayrou, asking not to be named, confirmed he had submitted his resignation to Macron.
Bayrou remains in charge on a caretaker basis until the formal handover of power, scheduled for Wednesday at midday. He lasted just nine months in office, becoming the sixth prime minister under Macron since 2017 and the fifth since 2022. His predecessor, Michel Barnier, was also brought down by a no-confidence vote in December.
The defeat stemmed from Bayrou’s surprise decision to call a confidence vote to end a standoff over his austerity budget, which proposed nearly 44 billion euros ($52 billion) in cost savings to reduce France’s debt.
In the end, 364 deputies in the National Assembly voted that they had no confidence in the government, while just 194 supported it. “Emmanuel Macron, a vulnerable president,” said the Le Monde daily.
France’s borrowing costs, a key measure of investor confidence, rose slightly above those of Italy on Tuesday, underscoring the economic risks of prolonged instability.
“Emmanuel Macron is now in the front line to find a solution to the political crisis,” wrote the Liberation daily.
Moving quickly, Macron appointed Lecornu, 39, one of his closest allies, as Bayrou’s successor. The Elysee said the president instructed Lecornu “to consult the political forces represented in parliament with a view to adopting a budget for the nation and making the agreements essential for the decisions of the coming months.”
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Macron’s office added: “The president is convinced that (under Lecornu) an agreement between the political forces is possible, while respecting the convictions of each.”
Lecornu, a staunch supporter of Ukraine, has served as defence minister for more than three years during Russia’s invasion. He is considered a discreet but skilled operator who, crucially for Macron, has no ambitions of seeking the presidency.
Analysts noted he had been tipped for the role in December but Bayrou had reportedly convinced Macron to give him the post instead.
Reaction to Lecornu’s appointment was mixed. National Rally leader Marine Le Pen described it as the “final shot of Macronism”, while the Socialist Party denounced the president for excluding them, warning that Macron had risked provoking “legitimate social anger and institutional stalemate.”
By contrast, former prime minister Edouard Philippe expressed optimism, saying Lecornu “has the qualities” to “discuss” and “find an agreement” with other parties.
Meanwhile, social tensions are mounting alongside the political crisis. A left-wing collective known as “Block Everything” has called for a day of action on Wednesday, and trade unions have urged workers to strike on September 18.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, who also leads the right-wing Republicans, urged urgency: “We need a prime minister very rapidly,” he said, warning there should not be a “power vacuum” ahead of the demonstrations.
The 2027 presidential election looms in the background, with analysts predicting the far right could have its best chance yet of capturing power.
Macron, barred from seeking a third term, faces mounting pressure to hold together his fractious parliamentary alliances while maintaining stability at home and abroad.