France's new Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, has survived two no-confidence motions, allowing him to focus on the 2026 budget. However, his relief may be short-lived as opposition parties remain determined to challenge him. Lecornu made significant concessions to gain support from the Socialists, including freezing a key economic reform. The draft budget aims to reduce the deficit but has faced backlash from the left and far-right, with warnings of public disillusionment with politics. President Macron's popularity has plummeted, and he is blamed for the ongoing crisis. Teljes cikk (bbc.com europe)