The French PM Lecornu Tenders Resignation Following Less Than a Month in the Role
The nation's PM Sébastien Lecornu has stepped down, shortly after his ministers was unveiled.
The French presidency confirmed the news after Lecornu met the French President for an 60-minute discussion on Monday morning.
This shock move comes only under four weeks after he was given the PM role following the collapse of the prior administration of his predecessor.
Parties across the board in the National Assembly had fiercely criticised the structure of his ministerial team, which was very close to Bayrou's, and threatened to vote it down.
Pressure for Snap Polls and Political Instability
A number of factions are now calling for new parliamentary polls, with certain voices urging Macron to also leave office - despite the fact that he has always said he will not resign before his mandate concludes in five years from now.
"The President needs to choose: parliament's dissolution or leaving office," said Chenu, one of leading figures of the National Rally.
Lecornu - the previous military head and a supporter of Macron - was the fifth premier in under two years.
Background of Political Turmoil
French politics has been markedly turbulent since mid-2024, when early legislative polls resulted in a deadlocked assembly.
This has posed obstacles for any prime minister to secure enough backing to enact new laws.
Bayrou's government was voted down in autumn after parliament refused to back his spending cuts plan, which aimed to slash government spending by 44 billion euros.
Economic Pressures and Stock Reaction
The French shortfall stood at 5.8% of GDP in 2024 and its government debt is 114 percent of GDP.
That is the third highest public debt in the euro area after Greece and Italy, and equal to almost €50,000 per French citizen.
Stocks fell sharply in the Paris exchange after the announcement about the PM broke on the start of the week.
