The French PM Sébastien Lecornu Steps Down Following Under a 30-Day Period in Power
The French Premier Sébastien Lecornu has resigned, shortly after his ministers was announced.
The presidential office made the announcement after Lecornu met President Emmanuel Macron for an meeting on the start of the week.
This shock move comes only 26 days after he was given the PM role following the dissolution of the prior administration of his predecessor.
Various groups in the French parliament had strongly opposed the composition of Lecornu's cabinet, which was very close to Bayrou's, and vowed to reject it.
Calls for Early Elections and Political Instability
Several parties are now clamouring for a snap election, with some demanding Macron to step down as well - although he has repeatedly stated he will not leave before his time in office finishes in the year 2027.
"Macron needs to pick: parliament's dissolution or resignation," said Sébastien Chenu, one of leading figures of the RN party.
Lecornu - the former armed forces minister and a Macron loyalist - was the fifth premier in less than 24 months.
Context of Political Turmoil
The nation's governance has been highly unstable since July 2024, when snap parliamentary elections resulted in a hung parliament.
This has posed obstacles for any prime minister to obtain required votes to approve legislation.
The former cabinet was voted down in September after parliament voted against his spending cuts plan, which aimed to cut state costs by 44 billion euros.
Financial Pressures and Market Response
The French shortfall hit nearly 6% of the economy in the current year and its national debt is 114% of GDP.
That is the third highest public debt in the European monetary union after Greece and Italy, and equivalent to almost 50,000 euros per person.
Markets declined in the Paris bourse after the news of Lecornu's resignation broke on Monday morning.
