Macron’s office said Lecornu had presented three conclusions: A majority of lawmakers are against holding snap elections; a “platform of stability” exists, although the Elysée did not elaborate on what that meant; and a path forward exists to adopt a budget before the end of the year.
In his interview, Lecornu said that a “narrow plurality” is ready to find common ground on a budget for 2026, which he previously said must significantly rein in a budget deficit projected to come in at 5.4 percent of gross domestic product this year. The PM had earlier Wednesday signaled the possibility of softening France’s deficit reduction to 5 percent of GDP from 4.7 percent, the figure Lecornu initially put forward.
What comes next is entirely up to Macron.
If he chooses not to dissolve the National Assembly, Macron will need to pick a new prime minister who will face the same challenge that doomed Lecornu’s two predecessors: passing a budget without a majority in parliament.
The president could opt for a center-left politician from the Socialist Party, who would then need to work with other left-wing lawmakers as well as centrists to form a majority.
But this would likely come at a cost for Macron, who would see some of his landmark policies — including a law that raised the minimum retirement age for most workers — come under attack from a left-wing government.