The French PM Sébastien Lecornu Steps Down After Less Than a 30-Day Period in Power
The nation's PM Lecornu has handed in his resignation, under 24 hours after his cabinet was presented.
The Elysée palace issued a statement after the Prime Minister met President Emmanuel Macron for an meeting on Monday morning.
This surprising decision comes only less than a month after he was given the PM role following the dissolution of the prior administration of François Bayrou.
Parties across the board in the French parliament had sharply condemned the makeup of his ministerial team, which was largely unchanged to Bayrou's, and threatened to vote it down.
Demands for Snap Polls and Political Unrest
A number of factions are now demanding a snap election, with some demanding Macron to step down as well - despite the fact that he has consistently affirmed he will not resign before his term ends in the year 2027.
"The President needs to decide: parliament's dissolution or resignation," said Sébastien Chenu, one of leading figures of the National Rally.
Lecornu - the ex-defense chief and a Macron loyalist - was the fifth French PM in a two-year span.
Context of Government Crisis
The nation's governance has been highly unstable since mid-2024, when sudden national voting resulted in a hung parliament.
This has made it difficult for every premier to garner the necessary support to enact new laws.
Bayrou's government was voted down in last month after lawmakers declined to support his austerity budget, which aimed to reduce public expenditure by €44bn.
Financial Pressures and Stock Reaction
France's deficit reached 5.8 percent of economic output in 2024 and its national debt is 114% of GDP.
That is the third highest public debt in the euro area after Greece and Italy, and equivalent to almost €50,000 per French citizen.
Markets declined in the French stock market after the resignation report emerged on Monday morning.
