Why the French Prime Minister Stepped Down After Only 27 Days – and Potential Happen Next
France's prime minister, the country's leader, stepped down along with the cabinet, less than a month after his appointment and within hours after unveiling his ministers, dramatically deepening France's political crisis.
It is the latest shock development in a series of events indicating that France, Europe's second-largest economy, faces growing governance challenges. Here is a look at what just happened, the causes and future possibilities.
What Just Happened?
Lecornu, after less than a month in office, submitted his departure and that of his government on Monday, only half a day after the key members of his cabinet had been announced. This made him the shortest-lived prime minister since the Fifth Republic began.
Aged 39, ex-defense chief, aligned with the president, served as the fifth PM since the president’s re-election in 2022 and third leader post-parliament dissolution triggering snap polls conducted months ago.
Lecornu blamed party-political intransigence, stating he was “ready to compromise, yet all factions demanded others accept their entire agenda.” It would “not take much for it to work,” however “partisan attitudes” along with “certain egos” stood in the way, according to him.
His departure spooked investors, with the CAC 40 stock index dropping 2% and the euro, 0.7%. The national debt ratio is the EU’s third-highest behind Greece and Italy, almost twice the 60% permitted under EU rules – similar to the nearly 6% deficit forecast.
Underlying Causes
The roots of the crisis lie in last year's sudden polls, that resulted in a hung parliament divided between three more or less equal blocs: the left, nationalist right & Macron’s own centre-right alliance, with no group coming close to a clear majority.
The economic downturn worsened the uncertainty, along with presidential elections due in 2027. The president is term-limited, and with each party keen to stake out its ground ahead of elections, common ground in parliament is increasingly elusive.
Lecornu faced the tough job to approve spending cuts through the divided assembly aimed at reining in the yawning budget deficit – a task that defeated the previous two PMs, who were ousted by MPs over the plan.
The immediate trigger for his resignation seems to be response from conservative parties regarding the ministerial team. They claimed the similar composition failed to represent a significant shift from previous approaches he had pledged.
Revealing key ministries last Sunday prompted fierce criticism from all sides, with allies and opponents denouncing it for being too conservative or insufficiently so, and threatening to topple the new government.
Reappointing Bruno Le Maire, Macron’s economy minister for seven years, to government as defence minister particularly enraged politicians from most parties, who saw it as a confirmation that Macron’s pro-business economic policies were not up for discussion.
Future Scenarios
Nationalist parties of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella has called on Macron to dissolve parliament and hold fresh elections, as leftist groups renewed demands for Macron's resignation.
Macron has three main options, all hazardous and none very appealing. 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.
On the other hand, selecting a staunch conservative would anger left-wing parties. Given the pressing need to achieve a minimum of consensus to at least pass a budget for this year, experts propose he may try to turn to an independent expert.
Second, he could dissolve the national assembly and initiate new elections, a move he has consistently said he is reluctant to do and which polls suggest would probably return another divided parliament – or bring nationalists to power.
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 for France, as Le Pen eyes a potential victory.
