Outgoing French PM Lecornu set to start last-ditch talks to end political crisis

PARIS: Outgoing French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is starting two days of last-ditch talks on Tuesday with members of various parties, a day after his shock resignation, in an effort to find a way out of the country's political crisis.

Lecornu tendered his and his government's resignation on Monday morning, after his government, announced on Sunday evening, was rejected by both allies and opponents. His government was the shortest-lived administration in modern French history.

Macron tasked Lecornu on Monday with holding the talks, setting a deadline for Wednesday evening.

Politicians of various stripes expressed confusion about the president's moves, with some arguing that Lecornu's new task was merely an effort to buy more time nearly a month after the outgoing prime minister's nomination.

It was not immediately clear what the scope of Lecornu's responsibilities would be during these discussions.

"Like many French people, I do not understand the president's decisions anymore," said Gabriel Attal, a centrist lawmaker and former prime minister under Macron.

Lecornu was slated to meet early on Tuesday with several members of the conservative Les Republicains (LR) and center-right Renaissance parties, including Senate head Gerard Larcher and National Assembly head Yael Braun-Pivet.

France's current political crisis, its deepest since the creation in 1958 of the Fifth Republic, its modern system of government, dates to June of last year.

After the far-right surged in European Parliament elections, Macron announced snap elections for the lower parliamentary house.

The result was a fractured parliament with no clear majority - in a country with a government designed to have a powerful president with a strong parliamentary majority, and little history of building coalitions and consensus.

Lecornu was Macron's third prime minister since those elections were called, and Macron's options are now limited.

The president could name a new prime minister. The Socialists have urged Macron to name a prime minister from the left, which he has resisted because a leftist prime minister would likely seek to roll back his pension overhaul and tax changes.

Macron is also not barred by the constitution from naming Lecornu, a close ally, again.

Opposition parties have also called on him to dissolve parliament or resign. Macron, whose term ends in 2027, has so far ruled out stepping down or calling new parliamentary elections.

The head of the Medef business chiefs lobby Patrick Martin told Franceinfo radio on Tuesday that the political crisis "adds to the concern that already existed within our ranks"

"We are witnessing this political spectacle that saddens us, and we are calling for a sense of responsibility on the part of all political players," he said.