Who is Sébastien Lecornu, Macron loyalist who resigned after just 26 days as Prime Minister of France?

Sébastien Lecornu (born June 11, 1986) is a French politician and member of President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party, known for his Gaullist, Séguinist, and socially conservative leanings. In September 2025, he was appointed as Prime Minister of France, only to resign after 26 days—the briefest premiership in the history of the French Fifth Republic.

Early life and education

Born in Eaubonne, Val-d’Oise, Lecornu was raised in a modest household—his father an aeronautical technician and his mother a medical secretary. Deeply influenced by his Gaullist grandfather, a World War II resistance fighter, Lecornu developed an early passion for the army and politics. He studied law at Panthéon-Assas University, though his claim of holding a master’s degree was later disputed.

He briefly explored monastic life before entering politics at a young age. By 2005, at just 19, he was working as a parliamentary assistant, later serving as an advisor to Bruno Le Maire in François Fillon’s government.

Rise in local politics

Lecornu was elected Mayor of Vernon in 2014 and became President of the Eure Departmental Council in 2015. He built a reputation for strict financial management, opposing tax increases and targeting welfare fraud. His policies, such as closing underpopulated schools, drew both support and criticism.

Entry into national politics

Initially a member of The Republicans (LR), Lecornu broke with the party in 2017 after joining Emmanuel Macron’s government. He was successively appointed:

-Secretary of State for Ecological Transition (2017–2018) – handling nuclear energy and waste policy.

-Minister for Local Authorities (2018–2020) – co-led the “grand national debate” after the Yellow Vests crisis.

-Minister of the Overseas (2020–2022) – navigated unrest in Guadeloupe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

-Minister of the Armed Forces (2022–2025) – oversaw record military budgets, arms deals, and troop deployments abroad.

Military and defense leadership

As Defense Minister, Lecornu championed a major boost in military spending, proposing €413 billion for 2024–2030 to modernize France’s armed forces, expand reservist numbers, and fund a new aircraft carrier. He also signed defense deals with Poland and supported Ukraine, while cautioning against logistical strains in supplying French tanks and artillery.

Premiership in 2025

On September 9, 2025, President Macron named Lecornu Prime Minister after François Bayrou lost a no-confidence vote. Initially seen as a stabilizer, Lecornu moved quickly to scrap unpopular reforms, such as Bayrou’s proposed changes to public holidays, and pledged to end lifetime benefits for former ministers.

However, his government faltered before it could take shape. Just 26 days later, on 6 October, he resigned—making his term the shortest in modern French history.