France's Premier Lecornu Tenders Resignation Following Under a 30-Day Period in Office
The nation's PM Lecornu has stepped down, under 24 hours after his government team was announced.
The French presidency issued a statement after Lecornu met Macron for an meeting on Monday morning.
This shock move comes only less than a month after Lecornu was appointed prime minister following the collapse of the prior administration of his predecessor.
Parties across the board in the legislature had fiercely criticised the structure of his ministerial team, which was mostly similar to Bayrou's, and promised to block its approval.
Calls for Snap Polls and Government Instability
A number of factions are now demanding a snap election, with some calling for the President to resign too - even though he has always said he will not leave before his mandate concludes in 2027.
"The President needs to pick: calling new elections or leaving office," said Chenu, one of key representatives of the National Rally.
Lecornu - the former armed forces minister and a ally of the President - was the fifth premier in less than 24 months.
Context of Government Crisis
The nation's governance has been highly unstable since July 2024, when early legislative polls resulted in a deadlocked assembly.
This has posed obstacles for any prime minister to obtain required votes to pass any bills.
The previous administration was voted down in September after lawmakers declined to support his fiscal tightening package, which aimed to cut state costs by 44 billion euros.
Economic Challenges and Market Response
The French shortfall stood at 5.8% of GDP in 2024 and its government debt is 114% of GDP.
That is the number three debt level in the eurozone after Italy and Greece, and equivalent to almost €50,000 per French citizen.
Markets declined in the Paris bourse after the news of Lecornu's resignation broke on Monday.
