The French PM Lecornu Resigns Following Under a 30-Day Period in Power
The nation's PM Lecornu has handed in his resignation, shortly after his cabinet was unveiled.
The presidential office confirmed the news after the Prime Minister met Macron for an meeting on Monday morning.
This unexpected development comes only under four weeks after he was given the PM role following the downfall of the prior administration of François Bayrou.
Various groups in the National Assembly had sharply condemned the structure of his ministerial team, which was very close to Bayrou's, and threatened to vote it down.
Pressure for Snap Polls and Political Instability
Several parties are now clamouring for a snap election, with others calling for the President to resign too - even though he has repeatedly stated he will not resign before his time in office finishes in five years from now.
"The President needs to decide: parliament's dissolution or resignation," said Chenu, one of prominent members of the RN party.
The outgoing PM - the previous military head and a supporter of Macron - was the fifth French PM in under two years.
Background of Government Turmoil
France's political landscape has been highly unstable since mid-2024, when snap parliamentary elections resulted in a hung parliament.
This has made it difficult for any prime minister to secure enough backing to approve legislation.
The former cabinet was defeated in autumn after parliament declined to support his austerity budget, which aimed to slash government spending by $51 billion.
Economic Challenges and Market Reaction
France's deficit hit 5.8% of GDP in 2024 and its national debt is more than the total economic output.
That is the third highest public debt in the eurozone after Greece and Italy, and equivalent to almost €50,000 per French citizen.
Share prices dropped in the Paris bourse after the announcement about the PM emerged on Monday morning.
