On 09 September, President Emmanuel Macron appointed Sébastien Lecornu as France’s new Prime Minister after François Bayrou was ousted in a no-confidence vote over budget reforms. Bayrou’s removal, less than a year after replacing Michel Barnier, underscored tensions over France’s strained finances, with the deficit at 5.8 percent of GDP and debt above EUR 3.3 trillion. Lecornu is France’s fourth prime minister in just over a year. His priority will be securing consensus on the 2026 budget while continuing Macron’s pro-business agenda, including tax cuts and a higher retirement age.