Why the French PM Stepped Down Following Just 27 Days – & Potential Happen Next
France's prime minister, the country's leader, has resigned along with his government, under a month after taking office and within moments of the new cabinet being announced, dramatically deepening France's political crisis.
This marks another surprising turn in a series of events that suggest the nation, the EU’s second-biggest member state, faces growing governance challenges. Here is a look at recent developments, why – and future possibilities.
Recent Events
Lecornu, who was appointed 27 days ago, submitted his departure and that of his government on Monday, barely 12 hours after the key members of his cabinet had been announced. He became the briefest-serving PM in modern French history.
The 39-year-old, former defence minister, a close ally of Emmanuel Macron, served as the fifth PM since the president’s re-election in 2022 and the third since Macron dissolved parliament triggering snap polls conducted months ago.
He attributed the resignation to party-political intransigence, stating he was “willing to negotiate, but every party wanted every other party to adopt its full programme.” He noted it “would require little to succeed,” however “partisan attitudes” and “certain egos” stood in the way, according to him.
His departure alarmed markets, with the CAC 40 stock index dropping 2% and the euro declined 0.7%. France’s debt-to-GDP ratio ranks third in the EU after Greece and Italy, nearly double the 60% permitted under EU rules – similar to its projected budget deficit of nearly 6%.
Underlying Causes
Origins of the turmoil lie in that 2024 snap general election, that resulted in a hung parliament split among three nearly equal factions: the left, nationalist right & Macron’s own centre-right alliance, none nearing a majority.
The economic downturn worsened the uncertainty, along with presidential elections due in 2027. The president is term-limited, as parties position themselves before the vote, compromise in the assembly is increasingly elusive.
Lecornu faced the tough job of passing an austerity budget in a fractured parliament targeting reduction of the yawning budget deficit – a challenge that ousted his two immediate predecessors, removed by lawmakers for similar efforts.
The final catalyst for his resignation seems to be the reaction of the centre-right Les Républicains to the new cabinet. They claimed the similar composition failed to represent the “profound break” with past politics that Lecornu had promised.
Revealing key ministries on Sunday evening drew strong objections from all sides, with allies and opponents denouncing it for being too conservative or insufficiently so, and threatening to topple the new government.
The return of Bruno Le Maire, long-time finance chief, as defense head particularly enraged politicians across factions, viewing it as proof that his economic agenda was non-negotiable.
Future Scenarios
Nationalist parties led by Le Pen and Bardella has called on Macron to dissolve parliament and hold fresh elections, while the radical left France Unbowed renewed demands for Macron's resignation.
Macron has three main options, all hazardous and uninviting. First, he might appoint another PM. A figure from within his own camp seems improbable, and a centrist left candidate would challenge his hard-won pension reform.
Alternatively, selecting a staunch conservative would anger left-wing parties. Due to urgent requirements to achieve a minimum of consensus to at least pass a budget for this year, experts propose he might consider a non-party political technocrat.
Next, he could dissolve the national assembly and initiate new elections, an option he has resisted and surveys indicate could yield another split result – or potentially usher in an RN government.
The last choice would be to resign, however, he has refused to leave before the presidential election in 2027 – a vote seen as a historic crossroads in French politics, as Le Pen eyes a potential victory.
