The Reasons Behind the French Prime Minister Resigned Following Only 27 Days – & Potential Happen Next
France's PM, Sébastien Lecornu, stepped down together with the cabinet, under a month after taking office and within hours after unveiling his ministers, dramatically deepening the country's political crisis.
It is the latest shock development following recent incidents indicating that France, Europe's second-largest economy, is becoming increasingly ungovernable. Here is a look at what just happened, why – and future possibilities.
Recent Events
Lecornu, who was appointed 27 days ago, submitted his departure and that of his government this week, only half a day after the key members of his cabinet had been announced. This made him the shortest-lived prime minister in modern French history.
Aged 39, former defence minister, aligned with the president, served as the fifth PM after Macron's second term and third leader post-parliament dissolution triggering snap polls conducted months ago.
Lecornu blamed political rigidity, stating he was “willing to negotiate, yet all factions demanded every other party to adopt its full programme.” He noted it “not take much for it to work,” however “ideological stubbornness” along with “certain egos” stood in the way, he said.
The resignation alarmed markets, as the CAC 40 fell 2% and the euro, 0.7%. The national debt ratio ranks third in the EU after Greece and Italy, nearly double the EU's 60% limit – similar to the nearly 6% deficit forecast.
Why Did It Happen?
Origins of the turmoil lie in that 2024 snap general election, which produced a split assembly divided between three more or less equal blocs: the left, the far right & Macron’s own centre-right alliance, with no group coming close to a clear majority.
The economic downturn has only added to that instability, along with the 2027 presidential race. Macron cannot stand again, as parties position themselves before the vote, common ground in parliament has become even harder to find.
He encountered a difficult task of passing an austerity budget in a fractured parliament targeting reduction of the large fiscal gap – 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 response from conservative parties regarding the ministerial team. They claimed the similar composition did not reflect a significant shift from previous approaches that Lecornu had promised.
Revealing key ministries on Sunday evening drew strong objections from all sides, with allies and opponents denouncing it as either too rightwing or not rightwing enough, and endangering its stability.
The return of Bruno Le Maire, Macron’s economy minister for seven years, as defense head angered many lawmakers from most parties, who saw it as a confirmation that Macron’s pro-business economic policies were not up for discussion.
Future Scenarios
Nationalist parties led by Le Pen and Bardella urged the president to dissolve parliament and hold fresh elections, as leftist groups has reiterated longstanding calls for the president himself to step down.
The president faces three choices, each risky and none very appealing. Initially, he might appoint another PM. A figure from within his own camp seems improbable, while even a moderate leftwinger would challenge his hard-won pension reform.
On the other hand, selecting a staunch conservative would anger left-wing parties. Due to urgent requirements to secure some agreement for approving annual spending, some analysts have suggested he may try to turn to an independent expert.
Next, he may dissolve parliament and call fresh legislative elections, a move he has consistently said he is reluctant to do and surveys indicate could yield another split result – or bring nationalists to power.
The last choice would be to resign, but again, he has repeatedly ruled out standing aside before the presidential election in 2027 – an election viewed as pivotal for France, with Le Pen sensing her best ever chance of taking power.
