The French PM Sébastien Lecornu Tenders Resignation Following Under a 30-Day Period in Office

Government building Sébastien Lecornu portrait

The French Premier Lecornu has resigned, shortly after his ministers was unveiled.

The Elysée palace confirmed the news after Lecornu met Macron for an 60-minute discussion on Monday morning.

This surprising decision comes only under four weeks after he was named premier following the collapse of the prior administration of François Bayrou.

Parties across the board in the National Assembly had sharply condemned the composition of the new government, which was largely unchanged to Bayrou's, and vowed to reject it.

Calls for New Vote and Political Unrest

A number of factions are now demanding early elections, with certain voices urging Macron to also leave office - even though he has always said he will not stand down before his mandate concludes in the year 2027.

"The President needs to pick: dissolution of parliament or stepping down," said Sébastien Chenu, one of prominent members of the National Rally.

The outgoing PM - the former armed forces minister and a supporter of Macron - was France's fifth prime minister in a two-year span.

Background of Political Crisis

France's political landscape has been very volatile since July 2024, when sudden national voting resulted in a deadlocked assembly.

This has made it difficult for any prime minister to obtain required votes to approve legislation.

The previous administration was defeated in September after the assembly refused to back his fiscal tightening package, which aimed to slash government spending by 44 billion euros.

Economic Pressures and Market Reaction

The French shortfall hit nearly 6% of the economy in the current year and its public debt is more than the total economic output.

That is the third highest public debt in the euro area after Greece and Italy, and equal to almost 50k euros for each resident.

Markets declined in the French stock market after the announcement about the PM broke on Monday.

Wanda George
Wanda George

A certified wellness coach and nutritionist passionate about helping others live their best lives through sustainable health practices.