French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu Steps Down After Under a 30-Day Period in Office
The nation's PM Sébastien Lecornu has handed in his resignation, shortly after his government team was presented.
The presidential office made the announcement after the Prime Minister met the French President for an meeting on the start of the week.
This shock move comes only under four weeks after Lecornu was given the PM role following the collapse of the previous government of François Bayrou.
Various groups in the legislature had sharply condemned the composition of Lecornu's cabinet, which was mostly similar to Bayrou's, and threatened to vote it down.
Pressure for Snap Polls and Government Instability
A number of factions are now demanding early elections, with some calling for Macron to step down as well - even though he has consistently affirmed he will not leave before his term ends in five years from now.
"The President needs to choose: parliament's dissolution or resignation," said Sébastien Chenu, one of leading figures of the National Rally.
Lecornu - the ex-defense chief and a supporter of Macron - was France's fifth prime minister in under two years.
Background of Government Crisis
France's political landscape has been highly unstable since mid-2024, when early legislative polls resulted in a no clear majority.
This has made it difficult for any prime minister to obtain required votes to enact new laws.
Bayrou's government was voted down in autumn after lawmakers declined to support his austerity budget, which aimed to slash government spending by 44 billion euros.
Financial Challenges and Stock Response
The French shortfall hit nearly 6% of the economy in the current year and its national debt is more than the total economic output.
That is the number three debt level in the eurozone after Greece and Italy, and amounting to almost €50,000 per French citizen.
Markets declined in the Paris exchange after the news of Lecornu's resignation broke on the start of the week.
