France's Premier Lecornu Steps Down Following Under a Month in Power
France's Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has handed in his resignation, less than a day after his cabinet was announced.
The presidential office issued a statement after Lecornu met President Emmanuel Macron for an 60-minute discussion on the start of the week.
This surprising decision comes only 26 days after he was appointed prime minister following the dissolution of the previous government of his predecessor.
Various groups in the legislature had strongly opposed the makeup of Lecornu's cabinet, which was very close to the previous one, and vowed to reject it.
Pressure for Early Elections and Political Instability
Multiple political groups are now demanding a snap election, with some demanding the President to also leave office - despite the fact that he has repeatedly stated he will not resign before his time in office finishes in the year 2027.
"Macron needs to decide: dissolution of parliament or stepping down," said Chenu, one of key representatives of the National Rally.
The outgoing PM - the previous military head and a Macron loyalist - was the fifth French PM in a two-year span.
Background of Political Crisis
The nation's governance has been markedly turbulent since last summer, when sudden national voting resulted in a hung parliament.
This has created challenges for any prime minister to secure enough backing to approve legislation.
Bayrou's government was rejected in last month after lawmakers voted against his fiscal tightening package, which aimed to slash government spending by €44bn.
Financial Pressures and Market Response
The French shortfall stood at 5.8% of GDP in 2024 and its national debt is more than the total economic output.
That is the third largest government debt in the eurozone after two southern European nations, and amounting to almost 50k euros for each resident.
Stocks fell sharply in the French stock market after the news of Lecornu's resignation emerged on Monday morning.
