French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu resigned on Monday just weeks after taking office and hours after naming his cabinet, further intensifying France’s ongoing political instability. President Emmanuel Macron accepted his close ally’s resignation, the Elysee Palace confirmed.
Appointed nearly a month ago, Lecornu faced mounting pressure to pass a budget through a fractured Parliament amid a growing debt crisis. His new cabinet, which included several ministers from the previous government, sparked backlash from both allies and opponents. Lecornu notably attempted to appoint former Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire as defence minister, but Le Maire withdrew after criticism.
Despite resigning, Lecornu has been tasked by Macron to hold talks with political parties by Wednesday evening to “define a platform for action and stability for the country.”
Lecornu is Macron’s fifth prime minister in two years, and his sudden exit has reignited calls for early elections. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen described the cabinet as “pathetic” and urged Macron to return the country to the polls, a sentiment echoed by her party and far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
The political uncertainty rattled markets, with France’s benchmark CAC 40 index dropping over 2% following the announcement.