French Prime Minister Lecornu Tenders Resignation Following Under a 30-Day Period in the Role
The French Premier Lecornu has resigned, under 24 hours after his ministers was presented.
The French presidency issued a statement after the Prime Minister met the French President for an meeting on Monday morning.
This unexpected development comes only 26 days after Lecornu was named premier following the downfall of the prior administration of his predecessor.
Various groups in the French parliament had fiercely criticised the composition of Lecornu's cabinet, which was largely unchanged to Bayrou's, and threatened to vote it down.
Demands for Snap Polls and Political Instability
A number of factions are now calling for a snap election, with certain voices urging the President to resign too - although he has consistently affirmed he will not stand down before his term ends in 2027.
"The President needs to decide: parliament's dissolution or leaving office," said Sébastien Chenu, one of key representatives of the National Rally.
Lecornu - the previous military head and a ally of the President - was the fifth premier in less than 24 months.
Context of Political Crisis
The nation's governance has been markedly turbulent since mid-2024, when sudden national voting resulted in a no clear majority.
This has made it difficult for any prime minister to obtain required votes to pass any bills.
Bayrou's government was voted down in last month after the assembly refused to back his austerity budget, which aimed to cut state costs by $51 billion.
Financial Pressures and Market Reaction
France's deficit stood at 5.8% of GDP in the current year and its public debt is 114 percent of GDP.
That is the third largest government debt in the eurozone after two southern European nations, and amounting to almost 50k euros for each resident.
Markets declined in the French stock market after the news of Lecornu's resignation was released on Monday morning.
