Macron wagers there's little to 'no appetite for an election', outside the political fringes

The president's seventh premier since 2017, Lecornu must now steer a cost-cutting budget through a deeply divided parliament before the end of the year, in what is expected to be a bruising fight. Lecornu, who became prime minister last month, resigned after criticism of his first cabinet, only to be reappointed days later and unveil a reshuffled team in time to submit a draft budget to parliament. Under pressure from the European Union to rein in its deficit and debt, France faces an uphill battle over cost-cutting measures that felled Lecornu's two predecessors. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, Jean-Emile Jammine welcomes Rainbow Murray, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University of London.