Why the French Prime Minister Resigned Following Just 27 Days – and What Could Follow
The French PM, Sébastien Lecornu, has resigned along with the cabinet, under 30 days following taking office and within moments of the new cabinet being announced, dramatically deepening France's political crisis.
This marks another surprising turn following recent incidents that suggest France, the EU’s second-biggest member state, is becoming increasingly ungovernable. Let's examine what just happened, the causes and what might come next.
What Just Happened?
Lecornu, after less than a month in office, tendered his resignation along with the entire cabinet this week, only half a day following the ministerial lineup reveal. He became the shortest-lived prime minister since the Fifth Republic began.
Aged 39, ex-defense chief, a close ally of Emmanuel Macron, served as the fifth PM after Macron's second term and the third since Macron dissolved parliament triggering snap polls conducted months ago.
He attributed the resignation to party-political intransigence, stating he was “willing to negotiate, but every party wanted others accept their entire agenda.” He noted it “not take much for it to work,” but “partisan attitudes” and “certain egos” stood in the way, according to him.
The resignation spooked investors, as the CAC 40 fell 2% and the euro, 0.7%. France’s debt-to-GDP ratio ranks third in the EU after Greece and Italy, almost twice the 60% permitted under EU rules – as is its projected budget deficit of nearly 6%.
Underlying Causes
Origins of the turmoil stem from that 2024 snap general election, that resulted in a split assembly divided between three nearly equal factions: the left, the far right and the president's centrist coalition, with no group coming close to a clear majority.
France’s financial crisis worsened the uncertainty, as have the 2027 presidential race. The president is term-limited, and with each party keen to stake out its ground ahead of elections, compromise in the assembly is increasingly elusive.
He encountered a difficult task of passing an austerity budget in a fractured parliament aimed at reining in the yawning budget deficit – a challenge that ousted the previous two PMs, who were ousted by MPs over the plan.
The final catalyst leading to his exit appears to have been the reaction of the centre-right Les Républicains regarding the ministerial team. The party said the similar composition did not reflect the “profound break” from previous approaches he had pledged.
Revealing key ministries last Sunday prompted fierce criticism from all sides, as supporters and critics condemned it for being too conservative or insufficiently so, and endangering its stability.
Reappointing Bruno Le Maire, long-time finance chief, as defense head angered many lawmakers from most parties, viewing it as proof that his economic agenda were not up for discussion.
What Might Happen Now?
The far-right National Rally of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella urged the president to dissolve parliament and hold fresh elections, as leftist groups has reiterated longstanding calls for Macron's resignation.
Macron has three main options, each risky and none very appealing. First, he could name a new prime minister. A figure from within his own camp now appears unlikely, and a centrist left candidate could undermine his pension changes.
Alternatively, appointing a confirmed rightwinger would anger left-wing parties. Given the pressing need to achieve a minimum of consensus to at least pass a budget for this year, experts propose he may try to turn to a non-party political technocrat.
Next, he could dissolve the national assembly and initiate new elections, a move he has consistently said he is reluctant to do and surveys indicate would probably return another divided parliament – or potentially usher in an RN government.
His final option is stepping down, however, he has refused to leave before the presidential election in 2027 – a vote seen as a historic crossroads in French politics, as Le Pen eyes a potential victory.
