The Reasons Behind the French Prime Minister Stepped Down Following Just 27 Days – and What Could Follow
The French PM, Sébastien Lecornu, has resigned together with the cabinet, under 30 days following taking office and within moments of the new cabinet being announced, significantly worsening France's governmental turmoil.
It is the latest shock development following recent incidents that suggest the nation, Europe's second-largest economy, faces growing governance challenges. Let's examine recent developments, the causes and what might come next.
Recent Events
Lecornu, who was appointed 27 days ago, tendered his resignation and that of his government this week, barely 12 hours after the key members of his cabinet had been announced. He became the briefest-serving PM 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 and called early legislative elections conducted months ago.
He attributed the resignation to political rigidity, stating he was “ready to compromise, yet all factions demanded every other party to adopt its full programme.” It would “not take much for it to work,” but “partisan attitudes” along with “certain egos” stood in the way, according to him.
The resignation alarmed markets, with the CAC 40 stock index dropping 2% and the euro declined 0.7%. France’s debt-to-GDP ratio is the EU’s third-highest behind Greece and Italy, almost twice the EU's 60% limit – as is the nearly 6% deficit forecast.
Why Did It Happen?
The roots of the crisis lie in last year's sudden polls, that resulted in a hung parliament split among three more or less equal blocs: the left, nationalist right and the president's centrist coalition, with no group coming close to a clear majority.
The economic downturn worsened the uncertainty, as have presidential elections due in 2027. Macron cannot stand again, and with each party keen to stake out its ground before the vote, common ground in parliament has become even harder to find.
Lecornu faced the tough job of passing an austerity budget through the divided assembly aimed at reining in the large fiscal gap – a challenge that ousted his two immediate predecessors, who were ousted by MPs over the plan.
The immediate trigger leading to his exit appears to have been response from conservative parties to the new cabinet. The party said the similar composition did not reflect a significant shift with past politics that Lecornu had promised.
But announcement of the main cabinet posts on Sunday evening prompted fierce criticism from across the political spectrum, with allies and opponents denouncing it as either too rightwing or not rightwing enough, and endangering its stability.
The return of Bruno Le Maire, long-time finance chief, as defense head angered many lawmakers from most parties, who saw it as a confirmation that his economic agenda was non-negotiable.
What Might Happen Now?
The far-right National Rally led by Le Pen and Bardella urged the president to disband the assembly and call new votes, as leftist groups renewed demands for the president himself to step down.
The president faces three choices, each risky and uninviting. Initially, he might appoint another PM. Someone from his circle seems improbable, and a centrist left candidate would challenge his hard-won pension reform.
On the other hand, appointing a confirmed rightwinger would anger left-wing parties. Due to urgent requirements to achieve a minimum of consensus to at least pass a budget for this year, some analysts have suggested he might consider an independent expert.
Next, he could dissolve the national assembly and call fresh legislative elections, an option he has resisted and which polls suggest would probably return another divided parliament – or potentially usher in an RN government.
His final option would be to resign, however, he has refused to leave prior to the 2027 vote – an election viewed as pivotal in French politics, with Le Pen sensing her best ever chance of taking power.