Caretaker French PM says parliament dissolution unlikely after party talks

Caretaker French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on October 8 that the prospect of dissolving parliament appeared unlikely following consultations with various political parties.

He noted that the talks revealed a general willingness among lawmakers to pass a budget by the end of the year.

“This willingness creates a momentum and a convergence, obviously, which make the possibilities of a dissolution more remote,” Lecornu said during an address from the courtyard of Matignon Palace in Paris. He added that he would meet President Emmanuel Macron later that evening to discuss the outcomes of his discussions.

The remarks come amid heightened political tensions. On October 7, Mathilde Panot, leader of the France Unbowed (La France Insoumise) party, announced that the Bureau of the National Assembly would review a motion to remove President Macron from office. The motion, signed by 104 parliamentarians, was scheduled for a vote on October 8.

Panot emphasised that support for the initiative had already reached the required threshold.

Lecornu had resigned on October 6 after serving just 27 days as prime minister, stepping down only hours after unveiling his new cabinet. The composition of the government had faced sharp criticism from both Macron’s allies and opposition parties.

Following the resignation, President Macron granted Lecornu 48 hours to conduct “final discussions with the political forces.”

By Tamilla Hasanova