French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu Tenders Resignation After Under a 30-Day Period in Office
The French Premier Sébastien Lecornu has handed in his resignation, shortly after his ministers was presented.
The presidential office made the announcement after the Prime Minister met Macron for an 60-minute discussion on the start of the week.
This surprising decision comes only less than a month after he was appointed prime minister following the downfall of the previous government of his predecessor.
Parties across the board in the French parliament had fiercely criticised the makeup of Lecornu's cabinet, which was very close to Bayrou's, and promised to block its approval.
Pressure for Early Elections and Political Unrest
Several parties are now calling for a snap election, with certain voices urging Macron to step down as well - although he has always said he will not resign before his time in office finishes in five years from now.
"The President needs to decide: calling new elections or stepping down," said Chenu, one of leading figures of the far right National Rally (RN).
Lecornu - the ex-defense chief and a Macron loyalist - was the fifth French PM in a two-year span.
Context of Government Crisis
French politics has been markedly turbulent since mid-2024, when early legislative polls resulted in a no clear majority.
This has made it difficult for each PM to garner the necessary support to approve legislation.
The former cabinet was rejected in autumn after the assembly declined to support his austerity budget, which aimed to cut state costs by $51 billion.
Financial Challenges and Stock Response
The French shortfall stood at nearly 6% of the economy in 2024 and its public debt is 114% of GDP.
That is the third highest public debt in the European monetary union after Italy and Greece, and equivalent to almost €50,000 per French citizen.
Stocks fell sharply in the French stock market after the resignation report emerged on the start of the week.
