Sawt Falasteen - Macron to name new French PM within 48 hours

Lecornu told French TV in an interview earlier that he expected a new premier to be named -- rather than early legislative elections to be called or Macron to resign -- in a bid to resolve the crisis.

Macron had on Monday given Lecornu until Wednesday evening to find a way out of months of deadlock over an austerity budget.

Lecornu had resigned early Monday after less than a month in office in the wake of appointing a pro-Macron cabinet that caused consternation on the right and left.

"The president thanks Sebastien Lecornu for the work done over these last 48 hours," the presidency said in a statement to AFP.

He "will name a prime minister within 48 hours", it said, adding that a "path was possible" to agree a budget by the end of the year.

Macron had the options of reappointing Lecornu, naming the eighth premier of his increasingly troubled mandate, calling snap legislative elections or even resigning himself.

The escalation of the crisis has turned into the worst political headache for Macron since he came to office in 2017.

Close allies have deserted the head of state, who appears increasingly isolated.

Lecornu said he had told Macron that the prospects for snap elections had "receded" as there was a majority in the lower house of parliament against being dissolved.

After former premier Edouard Philippe said that Macron himself should step down and call snap presidential polls, Lecornu insisted the president should serve out his term until 2027.

It was "not the time to change the president", Lecornu said.

"Let's not make the French believe that it's the president who votes the budget."

- 'Mission finished' -

Suggesting that a more technocratic government could be named, Lecornu said that people in a new cabinet should not have "ambitions" to stand in the 2027 presidential elections.

"The situation is already difficult enough. We need a team that decides to roll up its sleeves and solve the country's problems until the presidential election," he said.

He added a "path" should be found to open a debate on the lowering of the pension age -- the most contentious domestic reform of Macron's mandate -- but warned any suspension would cost at least three billion euros ($3.5 billion) in 2027.

Education Minister Elisabeth Borne, who was premier at the time the reform was forced through parliament without a vote, had called for it to be suspended.

Lecornu offered no clue over who the next premier would be, but hinted that he would not be reappointed without totally excluding such an outcome.

"I tried everything... This evening my mission is finished," said Lecornu, who served over three years as defence minister, describing himself as a "warrior monk".

He added that a new budget could be presented to the cabinet on Monday.

But it would "not be perfect" and there would be "lots to debate", he cautioned.

- Vote against 'everything' -

Whoever is named as premier will likely face the same problems encountered by Lecornu and his two immediate predecessors, Michel Barnier and Francois Bayrou. Both were toppled by parliament.

After losing their majority in the 2022 elections and ceding even more seats in snap polls last year, Macron's centrists have governed in a de facto coalition with the right-wing Republicans.

But even this combination is a minority in parliament, and any premier risks being voted out again if the left teams up with the far-right National Rally of Marine Le Pen.

Le Pen said Wednesday she would thwart all action by any new government and would "vote against everything".

Le Pen's anti-immigration party senses its best ever chance of winning power in the 2027 presidential elections, with Macron barred from running.

Critical to any government's hopes of survival could be the Socialists, a party Macron has long tried to woo away from a broad left-wing alliance.

But Socialist leader Olivier Faure emerged from a meeting with Lecornu earlier Wednesday lamenting that the premier had "given no assurance" the pension reform would be suspended.

C.AbuSway--SF-PST