France is experiencing its worst political crisis in years after Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu unexpectedly resigned on Monday, just 26 days into his term and hours after announcing his cabinet. His decision came after intense criticism and threats from parliamentary factions to vote against his new government. This situation has raised concerns about the country’s governance and its growing economic troubles.
Lecornu’s short time in office ended a day filled with political drama, which saw Paris stocks drop sharply due to worries about the National Assembly’s failure to address France’s financial issues. His cabinet lineup included the controversial reappointment of former finance minister Bruno Le Maire to the armed forces role. This choice faced immediate backlash from multiple parties. Le Maire later stepped down from the cabinet to reduce tensions, but the crisis only escalated.
In a surprising turn late Monday, the Élysée Palace announced that President Emmanuel Macron had asked Lecornu to remain in his position for another 48 hours to create a “stability plan” to resolve the political deadlock. Lecornu agreed and sharply criticized the “partisan appetites” of various factions, claiming they acted as if they had an absolute majority and were unwilling to compromise.
Lecornu is the fifth prime minister to serve under Macron in less than two years and is the third to leave office since last December. His resignation follows the ousting of his predecessor, François Bayrou, whose government fell over a rejected austerity budget aimed at reducing France’s rising national debt (114% of GDP) and deficit (5.8% of GDP).
The crisis stems directly from the July 2024 snap elections, which resulted in a hung parliament. With Lecornu—a loyal supporter viewed as Macron’s last option—failing, the President faces three choices by Wednesday: appoint another prime minister, dissolve the Assembly for new elections, or resign himself. While resignation seems unlikely, the succession of failed premiers suggests that new legislative elections, likely leading to a significant win for Marine Le Pen’s hard-right party, may be the only option left.
