Why France's PM Resigned After Only 27 Days – & Potential Follow
The French PM, Sébastien Lecornu, stepped down along with his government, under 30 days after his appointment and just moments of the new cabinet being announced, dramatically deepening the country's governmental turmoil.
It is the latest shock development in a series of events that suggest France, the EU’s second-biggest member state, faces growing governance challenges. Let's examine recent developments, why – and future possibilities.
Recent Events
The prime minister, after less than a month in office, tendered his resignation and that of his government on Monday, barely 12 hours following the ministerial lineup reveal. He became the shortest-lived prime minister since the Fifth Republic began.
The 39-year-old, former defence minister, a close ally of Emmanuel Macron, was France’s fifth prime minister since the president’s re-election in 2022 and third leader since Macron dissolved parliament and called early legislative elections that were held last summer.
Lecornu blamed party-political intransigence, saying he had been “willing to negotiate, but every party wanted every other party to adopt its full programme.” He noted it “would require little to succeed,” however “ideological stubbornness” and “certain egos” blocked progress, he said.
His departure spooked investors, with the CAC 40 stock index dropping 2% and the euro, 0.7%. France’s debt-to-GDP ratio is the EU’s third-highest after Greece and Italy, almost twice the EU's 60% limit – as is the nearly 6% deficit forecast.
Underlying Causes
Origins of the turmoil stem from last year's sudden polls, that resulted in a hung parliament divided between three more or less equal blocs: left-wing groups, the far right and the president's centrist coalition, none nearing a majority.
France’s financial crisis worsened the uncertainty, along with presidential elections due in 2027. Macron cannot stand again, as parties position themselves ahead of elections, compromise in the assembly has become even harder to find.
Lecornu faced the tough job to approve spending cuts in a fractured parliament targeting reduction of the yawning budget deficit – a challenge that ousted the previous two PMs, who were ousted by MPs over the plan.
The immediate trigger for his resignation appears to have been response from conservative parties to the new cabinet. The party said the largely unchanged lineup failed to represent a significant shift with past politics he had pledged.
But announcement of the main cabinet posts on Sunday evening prompted fierce criticism from all sides, with allies and opponents denouncing it for being too conservative or insufficiently so, and endangering its stability.
Reappointing Bruno Le Maire, long-time finance chief, to government as defence minister particularly enraged politicians from most parties, viewing it as proof that Macron’s pro-business economic policies was non-negotiable.
Future Scenarios
The far-right National Rally led by Le Pen and Bardella has called on Macron to disband the assembly and call new votes, while the radical left France Unbowed has reiterated longstanding calls for the president himself to step down.
Macron has three main options, all hazardous and none very appealing. Initially, he might appoint another PM. Someone from his circle seems improbable, 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 for approving annual spending, some analysts have suggested he might consider a non-party political technocrat.
Second, he may dissolve parliament and call fresh legislative elections, an option he has resisted and which polls suggest could yield another split result – or potentially usher in an RN government.
The last choice is stepping down, however, he has refused to leave before the presidential election in 2027 – a vote seen as a historic crossroads for France, with Le Pen sensing her best ever chance of taking power.
