New French PM Sebastien Lecornu Takes Office Amid Nationwide Block Everything Protests

France's new Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu took office amid widespread protests led by a left-wing movement called 'Block Everything', which disrupted transport, education, and other services across the country. The protests, involving barricades and clashes with police, reflect grassroots opposition to President Emmanuel Macron and his austerity measures aimed at reducing France's budget deficit. Lecornu, a close ally of Macron and former defense minister, replaces François Bayrou, who lost a confidence vote over his budget plans. Lecornu pledged to find creative ways to work with parliament's divided factions to pass the 2026 budget, acknowledging the need for difficult changes while facing immediate no-confidence threats from the hard-left and cautious cooperation offers from the far-right National Rally. With 80,000 police deployed nationwide and dozens arrested, the demonstrations signal a challenging start for Lecornu, who becomes the seventh prime minister since Macron took office in 2017 and the third in just one year. The political turmoil highlights deep divisions within France as the government seeks to tackle its substantial deficit amidst growing public unrest.