The French PM Sébastien Lecornu Tenders Resignation Following Under a 30-Day Period in Office
The nation's PM Lecornu has resigned, shortly after his government team was announced.
The Elysée palace made the announcement after Lecornu met Macron for an hour on Monday morning.
This unexpected development comes only 26 days after Lecornu was given the PM role following the dissolution of the prior administration of his predecessor.
Political factions in the National Assembly had sharply condemned the structure of his ministerial team, which was very close to the previous one, and threatened to vote it down.
Demands for Snap Polls and Government Instability
Several parties are now clamouring for new parliamentary polls, with some urging Macron to step down as well - although he has consistently affirmed he will not leave before his time in office finishes in 2027.
"Macron needs to decide: parliament's dissolution or stepping down," said Sébastien Chenu, one of leading figures of the National Rally.
Lecornu - the ex-defense chief and a Macron loyalist - was the fifth premier in a two-year span.
Context of Government Turmoil
French politics has been very volatile since last summer, when early legislative polls resulted in a deadlocked assembly.
This has created challenges for every premier to garner the necessary support to approve legislation.
The previous administration was rejected in autumn after lawmakers refused to back his austerity budget, which aimed to slash government spending by $51 billion.
Economic Pressures and Stock Reaction
France's deficit hit nearly 6% of the economy in 2024 and its government debt is more than the total economic output.
That is the third largest government debt in the European monetary union after Greece and Italy, and equivalent to almost €50,000 per French citizen.
Stocks fell sharply in the Paris bourse after the resignation report broke on Monday morning.
