France’s new PM Lecornu starts with lowest approval among post-2022 leaders

France’s new Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, has begun his tenure with the lowest public support among all heads of government appointed after the 2022 presidential elections.

According to La Tribune Dimanche, citing a recent sociological survey, Lecornu’s approval rating at the start of his term stands at just 16%, compared to 20% for his predecessor, François Bayrou.

Other recent prime ministers had significantly higher ratings: Gabriel Attal at 37%, Michel Barnier at 34%, and Élisabeth Borne at 27%.

The survey also revealed widespread doubt about Lecornu’s ability to successfully negotiate with the opposition over the 2026 budget. This bill had previously sparked large-scale protests across the country.

Sébastien Lecornu, a 39-year-old centrist and longtime loyalist to President Emmanuel Macron, was appointed as France's Prime Minister on September 9, 2025, becoming the fifth head of government in Macron's second term (which began in 2022) and the third since the inconclusive snap parliamentary elections of 2024.

Previously serving as Defence Minister since 2022—the youngest in French history—Lecornu played a key role in securing a €413 billion military spending package for 2024-2030 amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine

By Khagan Isayev