The French PM Sébastien Lecornu Steps Down After Under a 30-Day Period in the Role
France's Prime Minister Lecornu has handed in his resignation, less than a day after his cabinet was announced.
The presidential office issued a statement after Lecornu met the French President for an meeting on the start of the week.
This unexpected development comes only under four weeks after Lecornu was named premier following the collapse of the prior administration of François Bayrou.
Various groups in the legislature had strongly opposed the structure of the new government, which was very close to the previous one, and threatened to vote it down.
Pressure for Snap Polls and Government Instability
Several parties are now clamouring for a snap election, with others demanding Macron to step down as well - even though he has consistently affirmed he will not stand down before his mandate concludes in 2027.
"The President needs to decide: dissolution of parliament or resignation," said Chenu, one of prominent members of the RN party.
Lecornu - the former armed forces minister and a ally of the President - was the fifth French PM in less than 24 months.
Context of Political Turmoil
French politics has been very volatile since July 2024, when early legislative polls resulted in a hung parliament.
This has made it difficult for every premier to secure enough backing to enact new laws.
The previous administration was defeated in autumn after lawmakers voted against his spending cuts plan, which aimed to slash government spending by 44 billion euros.
Economic Pressures and Market Response
The French shortfall stood at 5.8% of GDP in 2024 and its national debt is more than the total economic output.
That is the third highest public debt in the eurozone after Greece and Italy, and equal to almost €50,000 per French citizen.
Stocks fell sharply in the Paris exchange after the announcement about the PM emerged on Monday.
