The French PM Sébastien Lecornu Resigns Following Under a Month in Power
The French Premier Sébastien Lecornu has resigned, shortly after his cabinet was announced.
The French presidency issued a statement after Lecornu met President Emmanuel Macron for an meeting on Monday morning.
This unexpected development comes only less than a month after he was given the PM role following the collapse of the prior administration of his predecessor.
Political factions in the legislature had sharply condemned the makeup of the new government, which was mostly similar to Bayrou's, and vowed to reject it.
Demands for Snap Polls and Government Instability
A number of factions are now clamouring for early elections, with some demanding the President to resign too - despite the fact that he has consistently affirmed he will not resign before his term ends in five years from now.
"Macron needs to pick: dissolution of parliament or resignation," said Sébastien Chenu, one of key representatives of the National Rally.
The outgoing PM - the former armed forces minister and a supporter of Macron - was the fifth premier in less than 24 months.
Background of Government Turmoil
French politics has been markedly turbulent since July 2024, when snap parliamentary elections resulted in a no clear majority.
This has made it difficult for every premier to garner the necessary support to pass any bills.
The former cabinet was rejected in autumn after parliament voted against his fiscal tightening package, which aimed to reduce public expenditure by 44 billion euros.
Economic Challenges and Market Reaction
The French shortfall hit 5.8% of GDP in the current year and its government debt is 114 percent of GDP.
That is the number three debt level in the eurozone after Italy and Greece, and amounting to almost €50,000 per French citizen.
Share prices dropped in the Paris exchange after the resignation report broke on Monday morning.
