The French PM Sébastien Lecornu Steps Down Following Under a Month in Office
The French Premier Sébastien Lecornu has stepped down, under 24 hours after his ministers was presented.
The French presidency issued a statement after Lecornu met President Emmanuel Macron for an hour on Monday morning.
This unexpected development comes only under four weeks after he was given the PM role following the downfall of the prior administration of his predecessor.
Various groups in the French parliament had fiercely criticised the composition of his ministerial team, which was very close to Bayrou's, and vowed to reject it.
Pressure for Early Elections and Government Instability
Several parties are now clamouring for a snap election, with certain voices urging the President to step down as well - although he has always said he will not stand down before his term ends in 2027.
"Macron needs to choose: dissolution of parliament or stepping down," said Sébastien Chenu, one of key representatives of the far right National Rally (RN).
The outgoing PM - the former armed forces minister and a ally of the President - was the fifth French PM in under two years.
Background of Government Crisis
France's political landscape has been highly unstable since July 2024, when snap parliamentary elections resulted in a hung parliament.
This has posed obstacles for every premier to secure enough backing to pass any bills.
The previous administration was rejected in autumn after lawmakers refused to back his austerity budget, which aimed to slash government spending by €44bn.
Financial Challenges and Market Response
The nation's budget gap stood at 5.8 percent of economic output in 2024 and its government debt is more than the total economic output.
That is the number three debt level in the European monetary union after Greece and Italy, and equivalent to almost 50,000 euros per person.
Share prices dropped in the Paris exchange after the resignation report was released on the start of the week.
