France Faces Political Turmoil As Prime Minister Resigns After 27 Days In Office
France was thrown into fresh political uncertainty on Monday after Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned just 27 days into his tenure, making him the shortest-serving prime minister in modern French history.
Lecornu, 38, a former defence minister and close ally of President Emmanuel Macron, submitted his resignation early Monday morning, barely twelve hours after unveiling his new cabinet on Sunday evening.
The Élysée Palace confirmed that Macron had accepted his resignation, though no immediate successor was announced.
Lecornu’s brief premiership comes at a time of growing division within Macron’s centrist coalition and mounting pressure from both the far right and the left.
His newly formed government, nearly identical to that of his predecessor François Bayrou, had already drawn criticism for its lack of change and perceived political weakness.
Opposition leaders swiftly seized on the turmoil. Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right Rassemblement National, called for the dissolution of the National Assembly and new elections, declaring on 𝕏 that “Macronism is dead on its feet.”
On the left, Jean-Luc Mélenchon of La France Insoumise demanded a motion to remove Macron from office, while party colleague Mathilde Panot said, “The countdown has begun. Macron must go.”
Lecornu’s short-lived tenure was expected to focus on navigating a contentious austerity budget, a task that analysts say would have been nearly impossible in France’s deeply divided parliament. His resignation now leaves Macron facing a political vacuum at a critical moment, with economic uncertainty already rattling markets.
The Paris stock exchange fell more than 2% within 30 minutes of the announcement, reflecting investor concern over renewed instability at the heart of Europe’s second-largest economy.
As of Monday afternoon, the Élysée had yet to name a caretaker or confirm plans for Lecornu’s replacement. Macron, who has faced multiple resignations and reshuffles during his presidency, must now find a way to restore confidence in a government increasingly seen as adrift.
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