French Prime Minister Lecornu Steps Down Following Less Than a 30-Day Period in Office
The nation's PM Sébastien Lecornu has resigned, under 24 hours after his ministers was presented.
The French presidency made the announcement after the Prime Minister met Macron for an hour on Monday morning.
This unexpected development comes only under four weeks after he was named premier following the collapse of the previous government of François Bayrou.
Parties across the board in the French parliament had strongly opposed the composition of his ministerial team, which was mostly similar to Bayrou's, and threatened to vote it down.
Pressure for Early Elections and Government Unrest
Multiple political groups are now clamouring for new parliamentary polls, with others urging the President to resign too - even though he has repeatedly stated he will not resign before his term ends in 2027.
"The President needs to choose: dissolution of parliament or resignation," said Sébastien Chenu, one of prominent members of the RN party.
The outgoing PM - the former armed forces minister and a supporter of Macron - was the fifth French PM in less than 24 months.
Background of Political Turmoil
France's political landscape has been very volatile since mid-2024, when snap parliamentary elections resulted in a deadlocked assembly.
This has posed obstacles for any prime minister to secure enough backing to approve legislation.
The previous administration was rejected in last month after parliament declined to support his spending cuts plan, which aimed to cut state costs by $51 billion.
Financial Challenges and Stock Response
France's deficit stood at 5.8% of GDP in 2024 and its public debt is 114 percent of GDP.
That is the third highest public debt in the eurozone after two southern European nations, and equivalent to almost €50,000 per French citizen.
Markets declined in the Paris bourse after the news of Lecornu's resignation emerged on the start of the week.
