French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu Steps Down After Under a Month in Power

The French Premier Sébastien Lecornu has handed in his resignation, less than a day after his ministers was presented.

The French presidency issued a statement after Lecornu met President Emmanuel Macron for an 60-minute discussion on the start of the week.

This surprising decision comes only under four weeks after he was named premier following the downfall of the previous government of François Bayrou.

Parties across the board in the French parliament had sharply condemned the composition of the new government, which was largely unchanged to Bayrou's, and threatened to vote it down.

Calls for Early Elections and Government Unrest

Multiple political groups are now clamouring for a snap election, with certain voices calling for the President to also leave office - although he has always said he will not leave before his term ends in 2027.

"Macron needs to pick: parliament's dissolution or stepping down," said Sébastien Chenu, one of leading figures of the RN party.

The outgoing PM - the ex-defense chief and a Macron loyalist - was France's fifth prime minister in less than 24 months.

Context of Political Turmoil

The nation's governance has been markedly turbulent since mid-2024, when early legislative polls resulted in a no clear majority.

This has created challenges for every premier to secure enough backing to enact new laws.

The former cabinet was defeated in last month after lawmakers refused to back his fiscal tightening package, which aimed to cut state costs by €44bn.

Financial Challenges and Stock Reaction

The nation's budget gap reached 5.8% of GDP in 2024 and its national debt is more than the total economic output.

That is the number three debt level in the euro area after Greece and Italy, and amounting to almost 50k euros for each resident.

Share prices dropped in the Paris exchange after the news of Lecornu's resignation broke on Monday morning.