French PM Lecornu Resigns After Just 27 Days in Office
France’s political chaos has taken another dramatic turn as Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has resigned just 27 days after being appointed, hours after unveiling his new cabinet and ahead of its first official meeting. The Elysée palace confirmed Lecornu’s resignation early Monday following a one-hour meeting with President Emmanuel Macron. Though he didn’t last long in office, Lecornu is now the fifth person to hold the prime minister post under Macron in just two years.
Lecornu, 39, had been brought in after François Bayrou’s government was voted down in September over a controversial austerity budget which aimed to cut government spending by £38bn, but the new cabinet he presented on Sunday night(which was mostly identical to Bayrou’s) triggered immediate backlash across the political spectrum. Some accused him of not being conservative enough; others said he leaned too far right. With no party holding a majority in parliament, his government appeared to be doomed before it even began. In his resignation remarks, Lecornu pointed fingers at the fragmented legislature, saying that the political parties were behaving as if they had their own majority in parliament.
His sudden exit has only intensified calls for broader change. Far-right leader Jordan Bardella demanded a snap election or for Macron to step down, declaring, "There can be no return to stability without a return to the polls and the dissolution of the national assembly." Meanwhile, far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon went even further, calling for the president’s impeachment.
France has been politically unstable since last year’s snap elections, which ended in a hung parliament. The resulting gridlock has made passing legislation nearly impossible. Adding to the strain: France's deficit now sits at 5.8% of GDP, with national debt at 114%—the third highest in the eurozone. As the country awaits Macron’s next move, pressure is mounting. Political opponents, financial markets, and the public are all asking the same question: what now?
