The French PM Sébastien Lecornu Steps Down Following Less Than a 30-Day Period in Office
The nation's PM Sébastien Lecornu has stepped down, under 24 hours after his government team was presented.
The presidential office made the announcement after Lecornu met President Emmanuel Macron for an hour on the start of the week.
This surprising decision comes only 26 days after Lecornu was given the PM role following the downfall of the previous government of François Bayrou.
Parties across the board in the French parliament had strongly opposed the makeup of Lecornu's cabinet, which was mostly similar to Bayrou's, and promised to block its approval.
Calls for Snap Polls and Government Instability
Several parties are now clamouring for early elections, with certain voices calling for the President to also leave office - despite the fact that he has always said he will not leave before his time in office finishes in the year 2027.
"Macron needs to choose: parliament's dissolution or resignation," said Sébastien Chenu, one of prominent members of the RN party.
Lecornu - the previous military head and a supporter of Macron - was the fifth premier in less than 24 months.
Context of Government Crisis
The nation's governance has been markedly turbulent since last summer, when sudden national voting resulted in a hung parliament.
This has posed obstacles for every premier to garner the necessary support to pass any bills.
The previous administration was defeated in September after parliament declined to support his austerity budget, which aimed to reduce public expenditure by €44bn.
Economic Challenges and Market Response
France's deficit hit 5.8% of GDP in 2024 and its government debt is 114 percent of GDP.
That is the third highest public debt in the eurozone after two southern European nations, and equal to almost €50,000 per French citizen.
Share prices dropped in the French stock market after the resignation report was released on the start of the week.
