French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to appoint a new prime minister within 48 hours, the Elysee Palace said on Wednesday, quelling speculation that the country could face fresh elections.

Outgoing Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu indicated that the prospect of dissolving parliament was diminishing following talks with political parties over the past two days. “There is a majority in parliament and that is the majority that is keen to avoid fresh elections,” he said.

Lecornu, a close ally of Macron, became the third French prime minister to resign in under a year after snap elections in July 2024 produced a hung parliament deeply divided along ideological lines. He was asked by Macron to remain in office for two additional days to help broker a consensus among parties on resolving the political crisis.

In a televised interview on Wednesday evening, Lecornu offered no hints about his successor and, while describing his mission as “finished", did not entirely rule out the possibility of remaining in office. He noted that most MPs recognized the urgent need to approve a budget by the end of the year, in addition to avoiding new elections.

However, Lecornu acknowledged the challenges ahead, citing divisions within parliament and political calculations related to the 2027 presidential election. Whoever assumes the role of prime minister “will need to be completely disconnected from any presidential ambition for 2027,” he said.

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France’s political deadlock has persisted since the July 2024 elections, with no single party holding a majority, complicating the passage of legislation and reforms, including the annual budget. The country’s mounting national debt, €3.4 trillion (£2.9 trillion), nearly 114% of GDP, and the third highest in the eurozone, has been a major point of contention.

Lecornu’s predecessors, Michel Barnier and François Bayrou, were ousted in confidence votes after presenting austerity budgets. Lecornu said his own draft budget would be submitted next week but stressed it would remain “open for debate.” “But the debate needs to begin... parties cannot say they'll vote it down without examining it,” he added.

He also highlighted the need to revisit Macron’s controversial pension reforms, which have divided the country since 2023. “We have to find a way for the debate to take place,” Lecornu said, though some parliamentary factions appeared unyielding.

Mathilde Panot of the radical left France Unbowed (LFI) said following Lecornu’s interview that the only solution was “the resignation and departure of Emmanuel Macron.” Meanwhile, far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen reaffirmed her opposition to any new government, insisting she would vote it down.

Macron cornered; political crisis deepens

At this stage, it remains unclear which political forces would support a new administration. The so-called common platform of centrists and Republicans that had governed since last year appears to have fractured. A key question is whether Lecornu, in the past 48 hours, has been able to persuade Socialists, part of the left bloc in the elections, to back a government in some capacity.

Regarding calls from some political factions for Macron to step down, echoed even by former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe earlier this week, Lecornu emphasized the need for a stable, internationally recognized leader. “This is not the time to change the president,” he said.

Macron, however, appears increasingly isolated, with close allies beginning to distance themselves. Earlier this week, Gabriel Attal, seen as Macron’s protégé, said he “no longer understood” the president and called for an independent negotiator to lead the government.

Since Lecornu’s surprise resignation on Monday morning, Macron has not addressed the public. Lecornu promised that the president would “address the French people in due course” without specifying a timeline.