French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu says he will announce a new government by October 1 and insists there will be no return to austerity measures.
Lecornu, appointed by President Emmanuel Macron on September 9 to end the political deadlock, has taken his time picking ministers after seeing previous prime ministers quickly brought down by parliament.
His predecessor, François Bayrou, resigned after a budget crisis triggered by his plan to slash €44 billion ($51 billion) in spending to cut France’s debt. Lecornu says his own budget plan won’t involve harsh cuts, targeting a deficit of 4.7% of GDP this year—slightly higher than Bayrou’s 4.6%—and aiming to reduce it to 3% by 2029 in line with EU rules.
He ruled out bringing in Socialist Party politicians, saying all ministers must agree on the government’s main principles. He also rejected demands to reverse Macron’s 2023 pension reform or to introduce a wealth tax on the super-rich.
