French media on October 13 primarily focused on two major developments: the finalization of the Lecornu II government and the imminent exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners in Gaza. Morning reports detailed the composition of the new cabinet, highlighting Emmanuel Macron's influence and civil society participation, alongside initial threats of censure from opposition parties.
As the day progressed, the focus intensified on the Gaza exchange, with the first seven Israeli hostages released to the Red Cross, followed by the release of all remaining live Israeli hostages. Donald Trump's arrival in Israel for a historic speech at the Knesset, where he declared a "new Middle East," garnered significant attention.
Concurrently, the Lecornu government's mission to "surpass the political crisis" and address the 2026 budget remained a key domestic topic, alongside news of the Nobel Prize in Economics awarded to Frenchman Philippe Aghion and the impending incarceration of Nicolas Sarkozy.