The French PM Lecornu Resigns Following Less Than a 30-Day Period in Power
The French Premier Sébastien Lecornu has resigned, under 24 hours after his cabinet was unveiled.
The French presidency issued a statement after the Prime Minister met President Emmanuel Macron for an 60-minute discussion on the start of the week.
This unexpected development comes only under four weeks after he was given the PM role following the dissolution of the previous government of his predecessor.
Political factions in the National Assembly had strongly opposed the composition of his ministerial team, which was mostly similar to Bayrou's, and promised to block its approval.
Calls for Snap Polls and Government Unrest
Several parties are now clamouring for new parliamentary polls, with some demanding the President to step down as well - although he has always said he will not stand down before his time in office finishes in five years from now.
"The President needs to choose: calling new elections or stepping down," said Sébastien Chenu, one of leading figures of the RN party.
The outgoing PM - the ex-defense chief and a Macron loyalist - was the fifth French PM in less than 24 months.
Background of Political Turmoil
The nation's governance has been markedly turbulent since mid-2024, when early legislative polls resulted in a hung parliament.
This has made it difficult for any prime minister to garner the necessary support to enact new laws.
The former cabinet was defeated in autumn after lawmakers declined to support his fiscal tightening package, which aimed to reduce public expenditure by 44 billion euros.
Financial Challenges and Market Reaction
The French shortfall reached 5.8% of GDP in 2024 and its public debt is 114% of GDP.
That is the third highest public debt in the euro area after two southern European nations, and equal to almost €50,000 per French citizen.
Share prices dropped in the Paris exchange after the news of Lecornu's resignation was released on Monday.