Why the French Prime Minister Resigned After Only 27 Days – & Potential Follow
The French PM, the country's leader, has resigned along with his government, under a month after his appointment and within moments of the new cabinet being announced, significantly worsening France's governmental turmoil.
This marks another surprising turn following recent incidents indicating that France, the EU’s second-biggest member state, faces growing governance challenges. Let's examine what just happened, the causes and what might come next.
What Just Happened?
The prime minister, who was appointed 27 days ago, tendered his resignation and that of his government on Monday, barely 12 hours following the ministerial lineup reveal. This made him the shortest-lived prime minister since the Fifth Republic began.
The 39-year-old, former defence minister, aligned with the president, served as the fifth PM since the president’s re-election in 2022 and third leader since Macron dissolved parliament triggering snap polls that were held last summer.
He attributed the resignation to party-political intransigence, saying he had been “ready to compromise, yet all factions demanded others accept their entire agenda.” He noted it “not take much for it to work,” but “partisan attitudes” along with “certain egos” stood in the way, he said.
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?
The roots of the crisis stem from that 2024 snap general election, which produced a split assembly split among three nearly equal factions: the left, the far right & Macron’s own centre-right alliance, 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. Macron cannot stand again, as parties position themselves before the vote, common ground in parliament is increasingly elusive.
Lecornu faced the tough job of passing an austerity budget through the divided assembly targeting reduction of the yawning budget deficit – a task that defeated his two immediate predecessors, who were ousted by MPs over the plan.
The final catalyst leading to his exit seems to be response from conservative parties regarding the ministerial team. They claimed the largely unchanged lineup failed to represent the “profound break” from previous approaches he had pledged.
Revealing key ministries on Sunday evening drew strong objections from across the political spectrum, as supporters and critics condemned it as either too rightwing or not rightwing enough, and threatening to topple the new government.
The return of 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.
What Might Happen Now?
Nationalist parties of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella urged the president to dissolve parliament and call new votes, while the radical left France Unbowed has reiterated longstanding calls for the president himself to step down.
Macron has three main options, each risky and uninviting. Initially, he could name a new prime minister. Someone from his circle now appears unlikely, while even a moderate leftwinger could undermine his pension changes.
On the other hand, appointing a confirmed rightwinger would infuriate the left bloc. Due to urgent requirements to achieve a minimum of consensus to at least pass a budget for this year, some analysts have suggested he might consider 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 bring nationalists to power.
The last choice is stepping down, however, he has repeatedly ruled out standing aside prior to the 2027 vote – an election viewed as pivotal for France, with Le Pen sensing her best ever chance of taking power.
