Sébastien Lecornu at the Vouglans Dam and the Saut-Mortier power station, eastern France, February 12, 2026. CLAIRE JACHYMIAK/HANS LUCAS FOR LE MONDE
Beneath the gilded ceilings of the Hôtel de Matignon, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu hosted, on February 4, a dozen Macronist lawmakers elected since 2017. Since his appointment, Lecornu has been known to put his guests at ease during such small, informal gatherings. That evening, between courses, the lawmakers dared to ask: Could the 39-year-old head of government consider running for president? Lecornu dodged the question. The following Wednesday, at the same time and place, right-leaning members of French President Emmanuel Macron's centrist party, Renaissance, raised the question again.
"I don't have the presidential bug like [Michel] Barnier or [François] Bayrou," the prime minister said, alluding to two of his predecessors. But even when he insists privately, or in the press, it does nothing to put the rumors to rest. For several weeks, lawmakers in the president's camp have given serious thought to his hypothetical candidacy. His successful navigation of the budget quagmire, where his predecessor had failed, made him look presidential in their eyes. "As soon as you set foot on the steps of Matignon, you start thinking about the steps of the Elysée," admitted Gabriel Attal, the head of Renaissance and a former prime minister himself.
