French Prime Minister Lecornu Vows New Government by October, Rules Out Austerity Budget
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has pledged to appoint a new government by the beginning of October. In an interview published Friday, he stated that an austerity budget was "out of the question". Lecornu was appointed by President Emmanuel Macron on September 9th to stabilize a political crisis.
Government Appointment and Budget Priorities
The new premier, 39, aims to avoid the fate of his predecessors, who were ousted by parliament. Lecornu told Le Parisien newspaper that "the government will be appointed before the start of the parliamentary session" on Wednesday (October 1st). His office, however, declined to confirm a specific date for the appointment. He emphasized the importance of ministers endorsing his budget proposal, stating, "Ministers who want to join the government will have to endorse it."
Rejecting Austerity and Addressing France's Debt
Lecornu explicitly rejected austerity measures, stating that "preparing a budget of austerity and social regression is out of the question." His budget will foresee a deficit of 4.7 percent of GDP, slightly higher than the 4.6 percent proposed by his predecessor, Francois Bayrou. The plan aims to bring the deficit in line with eurozone rules, reaching three percent by 2029. He stated that he was "starting from scratch" from the previous administration to take into account consultations with unions and political forces.
Political Stance and Key Policy Decisions
The composition of Lecornu's government remains uncertain. He appeared to rule out recruiting figures from the Socialist Party, requiring future ministers to "share the broad guidelines of the common core." Lecornu also opposed reversing the 2023 pension reform, a key initiative of Macron's, arguing it would "solve none of the problems". Furthermore, he expressed skepticism towards a proposed wealth tax, known as the Zucman tax, suggesting it would not be a "good response."
