Why the French Prime Minister Stepped Down Following Only 27 Days – & What Could Happen Next
The French prime minister, the country's leader, has resigned along with the cabinet, under 30 days following his appointment and within moments of the new cabinet being announced, significantly worsening the country's political crisis.
It is the latest shock development in a series of events indicating that the nation, Europe's second-largest economy, faces growing governance challenges. Let's examine what just happened, the causes and future possibilities.
Recent Events
The prime minister, after less than a month in office, submitted his departure and that of his government this week, barely 12 hours after the key members of his cabinet had been announced. He became the shortest-lived prime minister since the Fifth Republic began.
Aged 39, former defence minister, a close ally of Emmanuel Macron, served as the fifth PM since the president’s re-election in 2022 and the third since Macron dissolved parliament triggering snap polls conducted months ago.
He attributed the resignation to party-political intransigence, saying he had been “willing to negotiate, but every party wanted every other party to adopt its full programme.” It would “not take much for it to work,” however “partisan attitudes” and “personal ambitions” stood in the way, he said.
His departure alarmed markets, as the CAC 40 fell 2% and the euro, 0.7%. France’s debt-to-GDP ratio is the EU’s third-highest behind Greece and Italy, almost twice the EU's 60% limit – as is the nearly 6% deficit forecast.
Underlying Causes
The roots of the crisis stem from that 2024 snap general election, which produced a split assembly divided between three more or less equal blocs: left-wing groups, the far right and the president's centrist coalition, with no group coming close to a clear majority.
The economic downturn 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.
Lecornu faced the tough job to approve spending cuts through the divided assembly targeting reduction of the yawning budget deficit – a challenge that ousted the previous two PMs, who were ousted by MPs over the plan.
The immediate trigger for his resignation seems to be response from conservative parties to the new cabinet. The party said the similar composition failed to represent a significant shift from previous approaches that Lecornu had promised.
Revealing key ministries last Sunday drew strong objections from across the political spectrum, as supporters and critics condemned it for being too conservative or insufficiently so, and threatening to topple the new government.
The return of Bruno Le Maire, long-time finance chief, as defense head particularly enraged politicians across factions, viewing it as proof that his economic agenda was non-negotiable.
Future Scenarios
Nationalist parties led by Le Pen and Bardella urged the president to dissolve parliament and hold fresh elections, while the radical left France Unbowed has reiterated longstanding calls for Macron's resignation.
The president faces three choices, all hazardous and none very appealing. First, he could name a new prime minister. A figure from within his own camp seems improbable, and a centrist left candidate would challenge his hard-won pension reform.
Alternatively, selecting a staunch conservative would infuriate the left bloc. Given the pressing need to achieve a minimum of consensus to at least pass a budget for this year, experts propose he may try to turn to an independent expert.
Second, he may dissolve parliament and call fresh legislative elections, an option he has resisted and which polls suggest could yield another split result – or potentially usher in an RN government.
The last choice is stepping down, but again, he has refused to leave prior to the 2027 vote – a vote seen as a historic crossroads in French politics, as Le Pen eyes a potential victory.
