In a media interview on the evening of the 8th, French caretaker Prime Minister Jean-Yves Le Corny stated that the likelihood of President Emmanuel Macron dissolving the National Assembly was diminishing, and that he might appoint a new prime minister within 48 hours. On the same day, a motion to impeach Macron, filed by some members of the National Assembly, was defeated.
On Macron’s behalf, Le Corny held two days of “final negotiations” with the opposition parties in an effort to maintain political stability. However, the far-right National Rally and the far-left France Unbowed, which hold a large majority of seats in the National Assembly, declined the invitation. Le Corny reported to Macron on the progress of the negotiations on the evening of the 8th.
Le Corny also gave an interview to France 2 TV that evening, stating that “a way out” could be found through negotiations with the opposition parties. He stated that despite the various conditions put forward by the opposition, they all wanted political stability. Le Corny stated that the likelihood of Macron dissolving the National Assembly and calling new elections was diminishing, and that the current situation allowed Macron to appoint a new prime minister within the next 48 hours. Le Corny declined to answer whether the new prime minister would be from the left or a technocrat with no party affiliation.
In response to calls from several opposition parties for the government to suspend pension reform, Le Cornu expressed his hope for a way to “debate” the reform. He also warned that the cost of suspending the reform would exceed €3 billion by 2027.
Le Cornu also announced that he would submit the draft 2026 budget to the cabinet meeting on the 13th so that it could be quickly submitted to the National Assembly for deliberation. He believes that all French political forces are “willing” to pass the draft by December 31st, which reduces the possibility of Macron dissolving the National Assembly.
According to the latest report from French news station BFMTV, on the morning of the 8th, the National Assembly’s Executive Bureau rejected a motion to impeach Macron, filed by some members of parliament. Ten members voted against the motion, five voted in favor, and five abstained. Following Le Cornu’s sudden resignation on the 6th, the “Unbowed France” party called for the impeachment motion, which was jointly submitted by 104 members of parliament.
French media noted that under the Constitution of the Fifth Republic, a successful impeachment of the president at the parliamentary level is “almost impossible.” Even if the impeachment motion passes the first hurdle, the National Assembly’s Executive Bureau, it still requires a two-thirds majority in both the National Assembly and the Senate, and ultimately, a case involving the High Court.
On the 6th, after only 27 days in office and less than 24 hours of forming his cabinet, Le Cornu’s resignation to Macron was approved, making him the shortest-serving prime minister of the Fifth Republic and the seventh prime minister to step down during Macron’s tenure. France is embroiled in a serious political crisis.
