Macron Faces Crisis as PM Lecornu Resigns After Just 1 Day/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned less than a day after naming his Cabinet, deepening France’s political instability. President Emmanuel Macron accepted the resignation, triggering uncertainty amid rising debt and fractured legislature. Political opponents are calling for new elections or even Macron’s resignation.
France Political Crisis Quick Looks
- PM Sébastien Lecornu resigned within 24 hours of forming his government.
- His resignation leaves President Emmanuel Macron facing a deepening political crisis.
- France now sees its fourth prime minister in one year amid growing instability.
- Macron’s snap elections last year created a fragmented and unmanageable legislature.
- Lecornu cited failure to build consensus and urged unity in his resignation speech.
- Far-right and far-left leaders demand new elections or Macron’s resignation.
- The CAC-40 index dropped nearly 2% in reaction to the chaos.
- Ministers appointed Sunday became temporary caretakers by Monday morning.
- Criticism mounted over Lecornu’s choice of ministers, especially Bruno Le Maire.
- France’s public debt has hit €3.35 trillion, with major budget votes looming.
Deep Look
French Prime Minister Resigns Hours After Forming Government, Deepening National Political Turmoil
PARIS — France descended further into political chaos on Monday as newly appointed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu submitted his resignation less than 24 hours after unveiling his Cabinet. The dramatic exit intensifies the country’s ongoing instability and raises urgent questions about President Emmanuel Macron’s leadership and options moving forward.
The French presidency confirmed that Macron, already struggling with historically low approval ratings, accepted Lecornu’s resignation. Lecornu had only taken office in September, replacing François Bayrou to become France’s fourth prime minister in just one year.
A Government Collapses Before It Begins
The Lecornu administration effectively ended before it began. Several newly appointed ministers had not even been formally installed before being reduced to caretaker roles.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Agnès Pannier-Runacher, the reappointed ecology minister, captured the mood with blunt frustration: “I despair of this circus.”
In his resignation address, Lecornu acknowledged his failure to unite France’s divided legislature:
“It would take little for it to work. By being more selfless for many, by knowing how to show humility. One must always put one’s country before one’s party.”
His departure now throws France’s legislative future into deeper uncertainty, just two years before the next presidential election.
Macron’s Political Landscape in Disarray
The French political system has been unstable since Macron called snap elections last year, hoping to consolidate power. Instead, the result was a deeply fragmented National Assembly.
- Far-right and far-left parties now control over 320 seats.
- Macron’s centrists and allied conservatives hold only 210, well short of a governing majority.
- Efforts to form coalitions have repeatedly failed, with no party able to command enough support to pass major legislation.
Lecornu had pledged to seek consensus across party lines and refrain from using constitutional powers that allow bypassing a parliamentary vote on the budget. That pledge may have boxed him in politically, making compromise his only path — and when consensus failed, so did his government.
Opposition Pounces, Markets React
Macron’s opponents wasted no time in demanding sweeping change.
Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally, called on Macron to dissolve the legislature or resign outright:
“We have reached the end of the road. The only wise course of action in these circumstances is to return to the polls.”
On the left, France Unbowed and other parties echoed that sentiment, urging Macron’s exit and pushing for a revived left-wing coalition of socialists, greens, and communists.
The political volatility spooked investors. France’s CAC-40 index, the benchmark for major French companies, fell nearly 2%, reflecting deepening fears over governmental paralysis and fiscal uncertainty.
Ministers Criticized, Debt Looms
Lecornu’s choice of ministers stirred controversy across the spectrum. Chief among criticisms was his decision to bring back former Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire — this time to lead the Defense Ministry. Many blamed Le Maire for presiding over France’s ballooning public deficit during his previous tenure.
At the end of Q1 2025, France’s public debt stood at €3.346 trillion, or 114% of GDP. Debt servicing consumes about 7% of national spending, making budget negotiations a top national priority that now lacks leadership.
Other key appointments included:
- Bruno Retailleau (Interior Minister) — remained in charge of domestic security and police.
- Jean-Noël Barrot (Foreign Minister) — retained his post overseeing France’s international affairs.
- Gérald Darmanin (Justice Minister) — stayed on in the justice portfolio.
Retailleau, who leads the conservative Republicans, distanced himself from the collapse but criticized Lecornu for not informing him about Le Maire’s appointment.
“You promise a break and end up with returning horses. This government embodied all the conditions to be censured,” Retailleau told TF1.
A Short-Lived Attempt at Unity
Lecornu’s initial outreach included consultations with major political factions and labor unions, aimed at building a “compromise-first” administration. But without strong alliances or the political capital to push forward, the plan collapsed under its own weight.
Now, Macron is left scrambling for options in a volatile political climate. Without a majority in the Assembly or a strong prime minister to manage a soaring debt crisis and pass a budget, the French president’s leadership stands on increasingly shaky ground.
Whether Macron will call another snap election, appoint yet another prime minister, or attempt to govern through executive maneuvering remains uncertain. What is clear is that France’s political system is nearing a breaking point — and the clock is ticking.
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