Sébastien Lecornu was appointed Prime Minister of France on September 9, before resigning 26 days later, stating that “the conditions were not right for governing.” Like his two predecessors, Lecornu did not have a parliamentary majority and was therefore unable to govern effectively. In other words, he anticipated a vote of no confidence that would have prematurely ended his term. 

However, in a surprising turnaround, President Macron reinstated Lecornu just 48 hours after his resignation. This unprecedented decision illustrates Macron’s stubbornness and may foreshadow his own political downfall. The French Fifth Republic seems increasingly fragile, as this constitutional crisis reveals a minority party clinging to power while refusing to compromise. As a French citizen, I find this situation deeply troubling, as it reflects a growing divide between the political elite and the general population.

What’s Different About the Lecornu II Government?

Twenty-four hours after he resigned, Lecornu appeared on national television to discuss the political impasse in France. In front of millions of viewers, he outlined, in an unconvincing manner, what he considered to be the “necessary conditions” for the next government: a cabinet based on compromise with the main parliamentary parties and ministers motivated by serving the nation rather than their personal ambitions. His words raised hopes that he might finally break free from Macron’s influence and appoint ministers more representative of the political diversity of the National Assembly. 

However, these expectations were quickly dashed. The partisan balance in Lecornu’s new government remains virtually unchanged: All ministers come from a center-right party that has historically been allied with Macron. 

Although Lecornu promised a streamlined and more autonomous cabinet of about 25 ministers, the new government has 34 ministers, all from the same political circle. He also promised that no ministers with presidential ambitions would be appointed, but Gérald Darmanin, a likely future candidate, remains in place.

Lecornu presents his administration as “technical,” but technocracy does not necessarily mean neutrality. Expertise alone does not guarantee independence from Macron’s overall agenda. The central challenge lies not in the competence of ministers, but in the president’s persistent interference in parliamentary affairs. Macron’s repeated interference contradicts Charles de Gaulle’s institutional vision, which called for the president to remain above political divisions.

The dissolution of the National Assembly, briefly considered in recent weeks, was ultimately abandoned as it would only have benefited the far right, projected to gain even more seats in recent polls. Meanwhile, two urgent issues dominate the government’s agenda: the budget and pension reform, both of which risk reigniting public discontent.

What Can We Expect from Lecornu Going Forward?

The absence of an absolute majority for any single party makes governance impossible without coalitions or alliances. This is precisely why Lecornu resigned, but he will ultimately be forced to make compromises if he wants to survive the vote of no confidence already scheduled for the end of the week.  In his address to the National Assembly on Tuesday, October 14, Lecornu announced that he would suspend the pension reform adopted by Macron a few years ago in order to secure the support of the Socialist Party (PS), without which he would not have enough votes to pass the no-confidence vote. During his 30-minute speech, he also invoked the rhetoric of “duty” and “mission,” presenting himself as a pragmatic leader ready to “act in response to crises.” His formula for renewal consists of “political innovation” and governing “with the Assembly, not against it.” However, what he claims to be political innovation is in fact the normal functioning of the legislative branch, which, according to the Constitution, is separate from the executive branch.

He also repeated the phrase “I will propose, you will debate, you will vote” seven times, presenting his renunciation of Article 49.3—used to pass laws in Parliament—as a gesture of democratic openness. Article 49.3 of the Constitution allows the executive branch to bypass Parliament to pass a law in the event of a negative vote. The use of this article is highly controversial and has been invoked numerous times over the past decade. By renouncing Article 49.3, Lecornu hopes to restore trust with Parliament and make it more sovereign, or at least that is how his statement is understood.

This so-called break is nevertheless timid. The second Lecornu government still relies on the same technocratic core as the first, and its supposed “renewal” masks continuity. The interruption of pension reform may temporarily guarantee the support of the Party Socialist (PS), but the National Rally (RN) and La France Insoumise (LFI)—the two most powerful political forces in the Assembly—are openly opposed to Lecornu. Who knows if his possible compromise with the PS will last? In reality, the PS now holds the balance of power and is the key to the government’s survival.

Conclusion 

The second Lecornu government is marked by a fundamental contradiction: it claims to embody renewal while recycling the same political formulas and the same faces. It promises compromise but continues to defend Macron’s policies. It invokes parliamentary sovereignty but remains dependent on the president’s will. This fragile balance cannot last indefinitely. Unless Lecornu manages to reconcile France’s fractured political landscape, his second term could prove as short-lived as his first and further erode citizens’ confidence in the Fifth Republic. As everyone wonders about the causes of France’s difficult situation, attention is now turning to Lecornu and the issues surrounding his budget proposal. Amid political anger and growing polarization, will France’s political elite be able to find a compromise and reach a consensus on the 2026 budget? Nothing is certain, and Lecornu’s legacy will most likely be judged by the outcome of the budget negotiations.

“I feel like here [in the United States], friendships work in a very different way. Here, you have a lot of people that you know and that you call friends but you don’t really hang one on one or talk about serious issues or have a deeper relationship. Where I come from, you just have a couple of real friends and then you have acquaintances that you hang out with, but there is a strict and obvious difference between those two.”

Paci came to Jewell to complete a year abroad in order to write a dissertation on a cultural difference.

“Being foreign changes the subject of the things you talk about. Sometimes it’s frustrating because they want to know more about your country, which is kind of awesome, but it seems like they don’t want to know you personally. They’re like, ‘oh you’re from Paris, that’s awesome,’ but they don’t really ask about you. Sometimes it gets frustrating, but people definitely treat you differently if you’re from another country. Being foreign makes it easier to know people but makes it harder to have deeper friendships. I just read an amazing book that is called ‘Americana’ by an African author. She is Nigerian, but she lived in the United States for a while. She said in any relationship in which you have two people not from the same country, you spend a lot of time explaining things like how your culture is different and how you do things differently and why. You talk about this a lot. It makes you wonder if you would have anything to talk about if you were from the same country.”

All photos by Chandler Eaton.

All of the TAs utilized study abroad programs in order to come to the United States. Rita Huang, the Chinese TA, and Junta Shirai, the Japanese TA, both used the program Allex to come to Jewell. Huang explained how she saw an advertisement for the program and decided to apply. She went through a series of interviews and applications before she was placed here.

“I’ve always wanted to study abroad. I studied English at my school, my university. In Taiwan, we don’t really use English, so I really wanted to go abroad and to see what it’s like. I saw this poster on the corridor, and I decided to give myself a chance,” Huang said.

Many of the TAs are still students at their home universities. While spending time at Jewell, they are able to continue their educations. Paola Paci, the French TA, studies in Paris, France. She graduated with her bachelors in communications of companies and public institutions last year. While studying at Jewell, she studies literature, which is what she studied when she was in high school. Isidoro Ramírez Almansa, the Spanish TA, has studied interpretation and translation in three languages: English, Spanish and German. He recently lived in Germany and was offered a job in Austria before accepting the job at Jewell. Like Paci, Ramírez is interested in communications, which is what he has chosen to focus on while here.

“Communication is related to interpreting, how to develop oral skills, speech communication. All of these things are interrelated. I am very happy with the classes and with the teachers,” said Ramírez.

Being able to participate in a program outside of their home countries allows each TA to experience the U.S. and learn more about the culture. Paci described first coming to the U.S. as similar to walking onto a movie set.

“I really only knew America through the things I watched, so I had this impression that I was on set for a movie. Which is not the case anymore, I understand that for you all of this is normal,” Paci said.

The ability of those she has met to be able to pronounce her name was something she did not expect when coming to America. The first time Paci said her first name, she said that no one understood what she was saying. It’s been common for people to call her “Paula.” Initially, she was somewhat annoyed when people mispronounced her name, but it has not been a problem for her as the semester has gone on.

Ramírez was shocked by the number of cars he sees in America, specifically how many Jewell students own cars. He explained that in his native Spain neither he nor his friends own cars; they rely solely on public transportation. Many of the students Ramírez has talked with have told him that they have never before taken a train. For him, talking the train across the European Union is very common and for the most part very cheap.

“We use trains for long distances, and for short distances we use buses. In Germany, the smallest village, a village of 100 people, has a train stop,” Ramírez said.

The Jewell campus has impressed both Huang and Junta. Huang, who originally comes from the city of Taichung, Taiwan, really enjoys all of the nature that surrounds campus. Junta also enjoys the campus and how quiet it is during the day. The class size is another aspect of Jewell that Huang appreciates.

“In Taiwan, we have more than 50 people in a class. In other ways you don’t have to talk in class, so here the small size class you can get to know people more and the professors can take care of you more,” Huang said.

Being both a TA and a student comes with its difficulties and rewards. Huang expressed how hard it is to find the unique balance between writing lesson plans and finding the time to work on assignments for the classes she is taking. Having classes and teaching early in the morning is the hardest part of the TA position for Paci. Being able to make the class lively is challenging, but Paci is able to focus her energy into making her classes interesting.

Ramírez initially had a problem with his students understanding his accent. Being from Montilla, a city near Cordoba in southern Spain, he explained that his accent is very strong, which has caused some miscommunication with his students. He has also experienced difficulties with his students because Ramírez knows Spanish from Spain, while many of his students are familiar with Spanish common in Latin America. Despite the problems that he originally encountered as a TA, Ramírez ultimately finds the position very fulfilling. Regardless of the obstacles they face, the TAs appreciate their students.

“We can work and laugh at the same time, which is always a good thing to do. Some of them are very hard working, which is always very impressive and always good because it feels like you’re doing something good,” Paci said.

Upon returning to their home countries, the Jewell TAs plan to continue their educations. Paci will be completing the second year of her master’s degree when she returns to Paris. Ramirez has his eye set on learning his fourth language. He’s interested in Portuguese while still being active in communication and interpreting.

Photos by Chandler Eaton.