The French PM Lecornu Tenders Resignation Following Under a Month in the Role
The French Premier Lecornu has handed in his resignation, shortly after his government team was unveiled.
The French presidency confirmed the news after the Prime Minister met President Emmanuel Macron for an hour on Monday morning.
This surprising decision comes only 26 days after Lecornu was named premier following the dissolution of the previous government of François Bayrou.
Various groups in the French parliament had sharply condemned the structure of his ministerial team, which was very close to Bayrou's, and promised to block its approval.
Demands for Snap Polls and Government Instability
Multiple political groups are now clamouring for new parliamentary polls, with certain voices calling for Macron to also leave office - although he has always said he will not resign before his term ends in the year 2027.
"The President needs to decide: dissolution of parliament or stepping down," said Chenu, one of leading figures of the National Rally.
The outgoing PM - the ex-defense chief and a Macron loyalist - was France's fifth prime minister in a two-year span.
Background of Government Turmoil
The nation's governance has been markedly turbulent since last summer, when snap parliamentary elections resulted in a hung parliament.
This has posed obstacles for each PM to obtain required votes to enact new laws.
The former cabinet was defeated in September after parliament voted against his spending cuts plan, which aimed to cut state costs by €44bn.
Financial Challenges and Stock Response
The French shortfall hit 5.8 percent of economic output in 2024 and its national debt is more than the total economic output.
That is the third largest government debt in the euro area after Greece and Italy, and equivalent to almost 50k euros for each resident.
Markets declined in the Paris exchange after the announcement about the PM was released on the start of the week.
