After facing wide-ranging criticism, France’s new Prime Minister, Sebastian Lecornu, stepped down less than 24 hours after announcing his cabinet. This quick resignation has plunged the nation into a significant political crisis.
In a statement on Monday, President Emmanuel Macron confirmed he accepted Lecornu’s resignation. Lecornu was the fourth prime minister in just one year, taking over from François Beyloux.
Macron’s ally, Lecornu, noted that the circumstances that would allow him to remain in the role were no longer viable after his failure to create a consensus among various factions.
“It’s going to take time for that to work,” Lecornu remarked in his resignation speech. “Humility is key—you have to prioritize the country over the party.”
Following this unexpected resignation, political rivals quickly began to capitalize on the situation. The far-right National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen, urged Macron to either call for snap elections or resign. Le Pen expressed, “This raises questions about the President’s ability to keep Congress from being dissolved. We’ve come to a dead end.” She suggested returning to the polls as the only sensible solution.
On the left, some deputies also called for Macron to step down, while others advocated for a coalition revival among leftists, socialists, greens, and communists.
The abrupt resignation shocked investors, resulting in a nearly 2% drop in the CAC-40 index of leading French companies by the end of Friday.
Lecornu, just appointed the previous night, unexpectedly became a caretaker minister, tasked solely with day-to-day operations until a new government could be formed.
Agnès Pannier-Runacher, the recently re-appointed Minister of Ecology, voiced her frustration on social media, calling it a “circus.”
Criticism of Lecornu’s cabinet choices emerged from across the political spectrum, particularly regarding his appointment of Bruno Le Maire, the former Finance Minister, to oversee the Ministry of Defense amid rising public deficits.
With France grappling with a serious debt crisis, Lecornu’s key challenge was managing the budget. By the end of the first quarter of 2025, France’s public debt had reached 3.346 trillion euros (about $3.9 trillion), equivalent to 114% of its GDP. Debt servicing occupies a significant portion of the budget, accounting for roughly 7% of state expenditures.
Several key positions in the new cabinet remained unchanged, with conservative Bruno Reciro continuing as the interior minister overseeing police and internal security, while Jean Noel Barro held the Ministry of Justice.
The French political landscape has been tumultuous ever since Macron’s decision to call for a snap election last year, resulting in a fragmented parliament. Both far-right and left-wing parties now hold over 320 seats, compared to the centralist and conservative alliance’s 210.
In an effort to seek consensus, Lecornu consulted various political factions and labor unions before forming his cabinet. Notably, he promised not to employ the special constitutional powers used by his predecessor to push the budget through without votes, opting instead for a more collaborative approach with lawmakers from both the left and right.
