Macron picks outgoing Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu as new French prime minister

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday chose Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu as the country's new prime minister, a little over 24-hours after the country's government collapsed.

Former Prime Minister François Bayrou lost a confidence vote on Monday with 364 members of Parliament voting to remove him, and 194 supporting him and his government. It marked the fifth time Macron would need to appoint a prime minister over a two-year span.

The instability comes at a critical time for Macron, who has attempted to rally the European powers behind Ukraine amid Russian advances in the eastern part of the country. France is also facing an economic crisis. 

Bayrou previously warned parliamentarians before the vote that removing him would not solve the myriad of problems facing the country, CNN reported.

“You have the power to bring down the government, but you do not have the power to erase reality,” he said. “Reality will remain relentless: expenses will continue to rise, and the burden of debt, already unbearable, will grow heavier and more costly.”

Lecornu, who is the only person to serve in every cabinet since 2017, per the New York Times, welcomed the appointment.

"The President of the Republic has entrusted me with the task of building a Government with a clear direction: the defense of our independence and our power, the service of the French people, and political and institutional stability for the unity of the country," Lecornu posted on X. "I wish to thank him for the confidence he has shown me by appointing me Prime Minister."

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.