New French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Wednesday (September 10) that his new government will need to be creative and talk with opposition parties, adding that there may need to be a change in policies as well.

Lecornu, President Emmanuel Macron's fifth prime minister in less than two years, takes office amid nationwide "Block Everything" protests and two days after a fractious National Assembly voted to oust his predecessor Francois Bayrou's government over disagreements on budget cuts.

"There must be changes - not just in terms of form or method, but in substance," he said at the handover ceremony.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

PARIS, FRANCE (SEPTEMBER 10, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. EXTERIOR OF HOTEL DE MATIGNON

2. NEW FRENCH PRIME MINISTER, SEBASTIEN LECORNU, AND OUTGOING PRIME MINISTER, FRANCOIS BAYROU, COMING OUT

3. (SOUNDBITE) (French) NEW FRENCH PRIME MINISTER, SEBASTIEN LECORNU, SAYING:

"We must fundamentally put an end to this double disconnect: the disconnect between the political situation and the disconnect with what our fellow citizens legitimately expect for their daily lives, for the economic and social situation, and for their security. In short, this is what we are obviously tasked with."

4. AUDIENCE GATHERED

5. ACTING GENDER EQUALITY MINISTER, AURORE BERGE, AND FORMER FRENCH PRIME MINISTER AND ACTING EDUCATION MINISTER, ELISABETH BORNE

6. (SOUNDBITE) (French) NEW FRENCH PRIME MINISTER, SEBASTIEN LECORNU, SAYING:

"We will also have to change, certainly be more creative, sometimes more technical, more serious in the way we work with our opposition. I will have the opportunity to come back to this. We both just spoke about this at great length. But I also say it, there must be changes - not just in terms of form or method, but in substance as well."

7. MILITARY OFFICERS

8. (SOUNDBITE) (French) OUTGOING FRENCH PRIME MINISTER, FRANCOIS BAYROU, SAYING:

"I think we must invent the new world that is emerging, that will emerge, but do so based on reality. And I am convinced that there are millions of French people who want to participate in this realistic reconstruction."

9. AUDIENCE INCLUDING ACTING MINISTERS APPLAUDING

10. LECORNU THANKING BAYROU, SHAKING HANDS WITH HIM AND APPLAUDING

11. REPUBLICAN GUARDS WAITING OUTSIDE BUILDING

12. LECORNU ACCOMPANYING BAYROU OUT OF COURTYARD

13. AUDIENCE

14. LECORNU COMING BACK IN

15. VARIOUS OF LECORNU GREETING ATTENDEES AND ACTING MINISTERS

16. EXTERIOR OF HOTEL DE MATIGNON