France’s PM survives another day in office But for how long?

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu narrowly avoided the collapse of his government on October 14 after the Socialist Party (PS) announced it would not support efforts to oust him, granting the 39-year-old leader a brief reprieve following days of political turmoil, as per the latest report by CNN.

Lecornu, who was reappointed on October 10 — just days after resigning — delivered a high-stakes policy speech and unveiled his draft budget before parliament, offering major concessions to secure support.

At the heart of his proposal was a pledge to suspend President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial pension reform, which would have raised the retirement age from 62 to 64. The reform has been a central grievance of the left, and its suspension fulfilled a key demand from opposition parties. Lecornu acknowledged the fiscal impact of the move, estimating it would cost €400 million ($460 million) in 2026 and €1.8 billion ($2.1 billion) in 2027.

The concession, while costly, appears to have bought the government some breathing space. After weeks of political chaos, many lawmakers agreed that France could not withstand another destabilising crisis. Macron, who has faced mounting public anger and calls for his resignation, will also take comfort in the temporary truce.

Earlier on Tuesday, the president had warned party leaders that forcing a no-confidence vote would amount to triggering snap elections—an outcome that could hand major gains to France’s far-right National Rally.

Boris Vallaud, head of the Socialist group in the National Assembly, stopped short of pledging full support to the government but signalled flexibility. “We can bring down a government; we’ve done it twice before,” he cautioned, adding, “Our only compass is the national interest, the interest of the French people.”

Behind closed doors, party officials acknowledged that the looming threat of snap elections heavily influenced their decision. With France’s political field polarised between the far right and the radical left, the PS risks losing ground if fresh elections are called.

France’s current political deadlock has its roots in Macron’s decision in June 2024 to dissolve parliament following his party’s poor showing in the European elections. Hoping to reassert control, the president instead saw his centrist bloc lose seats to both political extremes, leaving France with a fragmented three-way parliament incapable of passing major legislation.

The instability that followed has weighed heavily on the French economy and on Macron’s presidency. France’s ballooning national debt—now roughly twice the European target—has already toppled two previous prime ministers. Michel Barnier and François Bayrou each presented austerity budgets, only to be ousted after losing confidence votes.

Investor confidence has faltered as well. In September, the ratings agency Fitch downgraded France’s credit score, citing political instability and high debt levels.

Lecornu’s own position remains far from secure. His resignation was formally accepted by Macron last Monday after his government collapsed, but the president reappointed him just four days later. The decision provoked outrage across both the far-right and far-left opposition, which immediately called for a new no-confidence vote scheduled for October 16.

With only 20 votes needed to form a majority against him, Lecornu faces an uphill battle. The upcoming budget debates promise to be both crucial and contentious. For now, the fragile balance holding his government together may last only until the next political tremor.

By Tamilla Hasanova