France's Premier Lecornu Resigns Following Less Than a 30-Day Period in Office
The nation's PM Sébastien Lecornu has handed in his resignation, shortly after his government team was announced.
The Elysée palace issued a statement after the Prime Minister met President Emmanuel Macron for an hour on Monday morning.
This surprising decision comes only 26 days after he was appointed prime minister following the collapse of the previous government of François Bayrou.
Various groups in the legislature had sharply condemned the makeup of his ministerial team, which was mostly similar to Bayrou's, and promised to block its approval.
Demands for New Vote and Political Unrest
Multiple political groups are now demanding a snap election, with some demanding Macron to also leave office - even though he has always said he will not leave before his term ends in the year 2027.
"Macron needs to choose: parliament's dissolution or leaving office," said Chenu, one of leading figures of the far right National Rally (RN).
The outgoing PM - the previous military head and a Macron loyalist - was the fifth French PM in a two-year span.
Context of Government Crisis
French politics has been very volatile since July 2024, when early legislative polls resulted in a hung parliament.
This has posed obstacles for every premier to secure enough backing to enact new laws.
The former cabinet was defeated in autumn after parliament voted against his austerity budget, which aimed to cut state costs by €44bn.
Financial Challenges and Stock Reaction
The French shortfall reached nearly 6% of the economy in 2024 and its public debt is more than the total economic output.
That is the number three debt level in the eurozone after two southern European nations, and equivalent to almost 50,000 euros per person.
Stocks fell sharply in the Paris bourse after the news of Lecornu's resignation emerged on Monday.
