French Prime Minister Lecornu Steps Down After Less Than a Month in Power
France's Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has resigned, less than a day after his ministers was announced.
The presidential office confirmed the news after Lecornu met Macron for an meeting on the start of the week.
This surprising decision comes only under four weeks after he was given the PM role following the collapse of the prior administration of his predecessor.
Political factions in the legislature had strongly opposed the structure of his ministerial team, which was mostly similar to the previous one, and threatened to vote it down.
Calls for Snap Polls and Government Unrest
Multiple political groups are now clamouring for new parliamentary polls, with certain voices calling for Macron to also leave office - even though he has repeatedly stated he will not leave before his mandate concludes in five years from now.
"Macron needs to choose: dissolution of parliament or leaving office," said Sébastien Chenu, one of prominent members of the RN party.
The outgoing PM - the former armed forces minister and a supporter of Macron - was France's fifth prime minister in a two-year span.
Background of Political Turmoil
France's political landscape has been markedly turbulent since July 2024, when early legislative polls resulted in a hung parliament.
This has created challenges for every premier to garner the necessary support to pass any bills.
The previous administration was voted down in last month after lawmakers voted against his fiscal tightening package, which aimed to reduce public expenditure by €44bn.
Economic Pressures and Stock Response
The French shortfall reached 5.8% of GDP in 2024 and its national debt is more than the total economic output.
That is the number three debt level in the euro area after Italy and Greece, and amounting to almost €50,000 per French citizen.
Share prices dropped in the French stock market after the news of Lecornu's resignation emerged on Monday morning.
