Macron to name new prime minister within 48 hours after deepening political crisis

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that he will name a new prime minister in the next 48 hours, for now rejecting other options in the face of a political storm.

The naming of a replacement for outgoing Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, who abruptly resigned on Monday, will — at least for now — move France away from the likelihood of snap legislative elections, another possibility that is available to the French leader but which could plunge the European Union’s second-largest economy into even greater uncertainty.

The announcement from Macron's office of a prime ministerial appointment before the weekend came after Lecornu — at the president’s request — spent the two days after his resignation taking the temperature in Parliament, to see whether there was enough support in the powerful but fractured lower house to form a new government.

Lecornu concluded that there was, even though Macron's camp and its allies don't have a majority in the National Assembly and the French leader's prime ministerial appointments, leading minority governments, have tumbled one after another in quick succession over the past year.

The presidential statement said that in the wake of his talks with political parties, Lecornu determined that a majority of National Assembly lawmakers don't want snap legislative elections and that it's “possible” that they could agree on a 2026 budget for France by the end of the year.

“On this basis, the president of the Republic will name a prime minister within 48 hours,” the statement said, without a hint of who Macron will choose.

Lecornu signaled that it won't be him again.

“I’m not chasing the job,” he said. “My mission is finished.”

In an interview with broadcaster France Télévisions before Macron's announcement, the outgoing prime minister said his 48 hours of talks with all parties except those on the far left and far right that refused negotiations had made progress and that “an absolute majority” of lawmakers don't for now see a need to dissolve the National Assembly, a move that backfired on Macron when he last did that.

Lecornu said Macron’s centrist camp and its allies in the Parliament, plus some opposition parties, could still come together to form a new government.

“There’s a majority that can govern,” Lecornu said. “I feel that a path is still possible. It is difficult."

The result from the elections triggered by Macron's stunning National Assembly dissolution in June 2024 was a hung Parliament. No one group has enough lawmakers in the 577-seat chamber to form a government alone. The ensuing political deadlock has rattled investors, infuriated many voters and frustrated efforts to agree on a budget to tackle France's mounting state deficit and damaging debts.

Without a stable majority, Macron's minority governments have lurched from crisis to crisis, collapsing as they sought lawmakers' support for unpopular cuts to public spending. Lecornu's resignation on Monday morning came just 14 hours after he'd named a new Cabinet the night before, with his fragile coalition shattering in the face of political and personal rivalries.

To buy more time to weigh his options, Macron then asked the 39-year-old Lecornu — a close ally who had previously served as defense minister — to reach out again to parties in the National Assembly, to try to build consensus behind France’s next budget, an urgent national priority.

Lecornu said the political parties he consulted all feel that agreement on a 2026 budget is a priority.

“They all said that we must not take the risk of not having a budget on the 31st of December,” he said.

Samuel Petrequin reported from London.

French socialist party secretary general Olivier Faure, left, and Boris Vallaud, president of the socialist parliament members at the National Assembly, arrive for a meeting with outgoing Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

French socialist party secretary general Olivier Faure, center left, and Boris Vallaud, center right, president of the socialist parliament members at the National Assembly, arrive for a meeting with outgoing Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

French socialist party secretary general Olivier Faure, left, and Boris Vallaud, president of the socialist parliament members at the National Assembly, arrive for a meeting with outgoing Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

French outgoing Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu makes a statement at the Hotel Matignon, the Prime Minister's residence, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Stephanie Lecocq, Pool via AP)

FILE - Then French Defense minister Sebastien Lecornu, right, and France's President Emmanuel Macron talk at the end of an address by the president to army leaders in Paris Sunday July 13, 2025, (Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP, File)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — FlyDubai, the lower-cost sister airline to long-haul carrier Emirates, announced an order Tuesday for 150 Airbus A321 aircraft at the Dubai Air Show — a major purchase that will see the carrier for the first time expand its fleet beyond Boeing.

Airbus and FlyDubai offered no value for the deal, but it will be well into the billions of dollars. It also represents a major purchase for the airline as Dubai prepares across both carriers to expand as it builds a new five-runway airport in this desert sheikhdom in the United Arab Emirates.

The A321 is a mid-range, two-engine, single-aisle aircraft, matching the style of the Boeing 737s that FlyDubai has relied on since launching flights back in 2009. The airline currently has a fleet of 95 aircraft.

Airbus and FlyDubai declined to take questions from journalists at the announcement.

“We’re very impressed with FlyDubai as an efficiency minded carrier that’s also offering a premium product,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus' CEO of commercial aircraft.

Earlier Tuesday, Etihad put in an order for 16 Airbus aircraft, part of its efforts to expand as its economic fortunes improve.

Etihad's order includes six A330-900s, seven A350-1000s and three A350F freighters, the two firms said at a news conference. They did not offer a cost for the deal. Airlines often negotiate lower prices in major orders.

Etihad made a record $476 million profit in 2024, part of a financial rebound for the Abu Dhabi-based airline. While still a slender profit compared to rival Emirates’ record profits of $5.2 billion in the last fiscal year, it continues a major turnaround for Etihad.

Abu Dhabi’s rulers launched Etihad in 2003, rivaling the established Dubai government-owned carrier Emirates, which boasts a larger fleet and a far-flung network.

Etihad struggled with its business plan and underwent cost-cutting measures even before the coronavirus pandemic. Since 2016, Etihad has lost some $6 billion as it has aggressively bought up stakes in airlines from Europe to Asia to compete against Emirates and Qatar Airways.

On Monday, Emirates ordered 65 of Boeing’s upcoming 777-9 aircraft worth at $38 billion at list prices.

Tim Clark, the president of Emirates, again acknowledged to journalists on Tuesday the delays that have plagued Boeing in getting the 777-9 to customers. However, he said he believed Emirates’ large purchase could see even President Donald Trump’s White House take note and push the manufacturer to finish the plane.

“I’m sure the White House will be leaning on Boeing to make sure it all works and they can get the things out of the doors quickly as they can, because it does mean jobs for everyone,” Clark said. “Particularly the 9X is going to be Seattle constructed, so all that sort of workforce in the northwest is almost secured now for decades.”

Clark also acknowledged Emirates and FlyDubai would be able to rapidly expand its routes with new aircraft once the sheikhdom drastically expands Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, where the air show takes place.

Dubai plans a $35 billion project to expand to five parallel runways and 400 aircraft gates, to be completed within the next decade.

“We’ll be able to reach any point on the planet,” Clark said.

Emirati men watch an Airbus A350 at the Dubai Air Show in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)