The Reasons Behind the French PM Stepped Down Following Just 27 Days – and Potential Follow
France's PM, the country's leader, stepped down together with the cabinet, less than a month following taking office and just hours after unveiling his ministers, significantly worsening France's governmental turmoil.
This marks 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 recent developments, why – and future possibilities.
What Just Happened?
The prime minister, after less than a month in office, submitted his departure along with the entire cabinet on Monday, barely 12 hours following the ministerial lineup reveal. This made him the briefest-serving PM since the Fifth Republic began.
The 39-year-old, ex-defense chief, a close ally of Emmanuel Macron, was France’s fifth prime minister after Macron's second term and third leader since Macron dissolved parliament and called early legislative elections that were held last summer.
He attributed the resignation to political rigidity, saying he had been “willing to negotiate, yet all factions demanded others accept their entire agenda.” It would “not take much for it to work,” but “ideological stubbornness” and “certain egos” blocked progress, according to him.
The resignation 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, nearly double the EU's 60% limit – similar to its projected budget deficit of nearly 6%.
Why Did It Happen?
Origins of the turmoil stem from last year's sudden polls, that resulted in a split assembly divided between three more or less equal blocs: left-wing groups, nationalist right and the president's centrist coalition, none nearing a majority.
France’s financial crisis has only added to that instability, 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, compromise in the assembly is increasingly elusive.
He encountered a difficult task of passing an austerity budget through the divided assembly aimed at reining in the yawning budget deficit – a challenge that ousted the previous two PMs, removed by lawmakers for similar efforts.
The final catalyst for his resignation seems to be the reaction of the centre-right Les Républicains regarding the ministerial team. The party said the largely unchanged lineup did not reflect a significant shift from previous approaches that Lecornu had promised.
Revealing key ministries on Sunday evening drew strong objections from all sides, with allies and opponents denouncing it as either too rightwing or not rightwing enough, and threatening to topple the new government.
Reappointing Bruno Le Maire, long-time finance chief, to government as defence minister particularly enraged politicians across factions, who saw it as a confirmation that Macron’s pro-business economic policies was non-negotiable.
Future Scenarios
The far-right National Rally led by Le Pen and Bardella has called on Macron to disband the assembly and call new votes, while the radical left France Unbowed has reiterated longstanding calls for Macron's resignation.
The president faces three choices, all hazardous and uninviting. Initially, he might appoint another PM. A figure from within his own camp now appears unlikely, while even a moderate leftwinger would challenge his hard-won pension reform.
Alternatively, selecting a staunch conservative would anger left-wing parties. Due to urgent requirements to secure some agreement for approving annual spending, experts propose he may try to turn to a non-party political technocrat.
Next, 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 could yield another split result – or potentially usher in an RN government.
His final option 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, with Le Pen sensing her best ever chance of taking power.
