PARIS (AP) – French President Macron appointed Defence Minister Sebastian Lecorne as France’s new prime minister late Tuesday, and soon entrusted him with the country’s fractious political party to agree to the budget of one of the world’s largest economy.
The 39-year-old Recorne is the youngest defense minister in French history and the architect of the major military accumulation until 2030, spurring the Russian war in Ukraine. Longtime Macron loyalist Lecornes is now France’s fourth prime minister.
A former conservative who joined Macron’s centrism movement in 2017, Lecorne served as a post when she helped manage massive anger in dialogue during the “big debate” of local governments, overseas territories and Macron’s yellow vest. He also provided consultations on autonomy during his unrest in Guadeloupe in 2021.
His rise reflects Macron’s instinct to reward his loyalty, but also the need for continuity as repeated budget showdowns defeated his predecessor and left France for drift.
French Defense Minister Sebastian Lecorne on the left received President Emmanuel Macron at the 55th International Paris Air Show at Le Bourgette Airport near Paris on June 20, 2025 (Benoit Tessier/AP file).
Macron’s quick decision to name Lecornu comes ahead of a day of massive turmoil planned by a protest called “Block Everything” planned on Wednesday, prompting the government to deploy an exceptional 80,000 police to maintain order.
Legislators defeated Recorne’s predecessor François Bailloux and his government on Monday with a trust vote on Monday, the new crisis against Europe’s second-largest economy.
Bayrou bets that lawmakers would support his view that France must cut public spending to curb its enormous debt. Instead, they were seized in a vote to unite with the 74-year-old centralist who was appointed Macron last December.
Bailou’s short-lived minority government exile has renewed the risk of uncertainty and long-term legislative impasses for France as it grapples with budgetary challenges, internationally, with the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as the changing priorities of US President Donald Trump.
French Defense Minister Sebastian Lecorne will speak to the media as he arrives at a meeting of the NATO Defense Ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels on February 13, 2025.
Drafting the budget is a top priority for Recornes, and the new prime minister will usually form a new government before negotiating national spending in parliament. However, Macron asked Lecornes to first consult with all political parties in Congress in order to agree to the budget before gathering the team.
“The Prime Minister’s actions are guided by our independence and the defense of power, and contribute to France and political and institutional stability for the unity of our nation,” Macron said in a statement.
When the yellow vest movement against social injustice erupted, prompting violent demonstrations on the streets from time to time, Recorne was chosen by Macron and led the so-called things “Big debate” across the country It is intended to relieve tension.
From 2020 to 2022, Minister of Overseas Territories Lecorne faced Virus-related riots and strikes Guadeloupe, in the Caribbean, offers to discuss territorial autonomy, which has been affected by long-term frustration over inequality with mainland France.
The 413 billion euro ($435 billion) defence spending package defended in 2024-2030 represents France’s most significant spending hike in half a century. The funds aim to modernize French nuclear weapons, increase intelligence report spending, and develop more remotely controlled weapons.
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Thomas Adamson and Angela Charlton of Paris contributed.
