The French PM Lecornu Resigns After Less Than a 30-Day Period in Power
The French Premier Sébastien Lecornu has resigned, shortly after his cabinet was presented.
The French presidency confirmed the news after Lecornu met Macron for an meeting on the start of the week.
This unexpected development comes only less than a month after Lecornu was given the PM role following the downfall of the prior administration of his predecessor.
Various groups in the legislature had sharply condemned the composition of Lecornu's cabinet, which was mostly similar to Bayrou's, and threatened to vote it down.
Pressure for Early Elections and Government Instability
Several parties are now calling for a snap election, with certain voices urging Macron to also leave office - even though he has repeatedly stated he will not resign before his term ends in five years from now.
"The President needs to pick: calling new elections or leaving office," said Sébastien Chenu, one of prominent members of the National Rally.
Lecornu - the previous military head and a ally of the President - was the fifth premier in less than 24 months.
Context of Government Crisis
The nation's governance has been highly unstable since mid-2024, when snap parliamentary elections resulted in a no clear majority.
This has made it difficult for every premier to garner the necessary support to enact new laws.
The previous administration was rejected in last month after parliament voted against his fiscal tightening package, which aimed to reduce public expenditure by $51 billion.
Financial Pressures and Market Reaction
The nation's budget gap hit nearly 6% of the economy in the current year and its public debt is 114 percent of GDP.
That is the third highest public debt in the eurozone after Greece and Italy, and amounting to almost 50,000 euros per person.
Share prices dropped in the French stock market after the news of Lecornu's resignation was released on the start of the week.