By Muhammad Mamman
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu resigned on Monday, mere hours after revealing his new cabinet, plunging France deeper into political turmoil. Lecornu, a close ally of President Emmanuel Macron, stepped down after less than a month, marking him as the shortest-serving prime minister since the Fifth Republic began.
Lecornu was France’s fifth prime minister in under two years, with the nation grappling with political gridlock since Macron’s snap elections in 2024 left no party with a parliamentary majority. His fragile coalition government collapsed amid widespread criticism of his cabinet, which retained most previous ministers.
Bruno Retailleau, leader of the Republicans and interior minister, slammed the cabinet on X, saying it failed to deliver the promised shift from Macron’s policies. The cabinet, announced on Sunday, included 10 ministers from Macron’s party but excluded the left-wing bloc and far-right National Rally.
Jordan Bardella, National Rally president, also took to X, blaming Macron for the crisis and demanding parliament’s dissolution. The left was equally furious, with Socialist Party spokesperson Arthur Delaporte declaring on X that “Macronism” had thrown France into chaos.
Political scientist Antoine Bristielle told CNN that Macron faces two choices: dissolve parliament or resign, triggering a presidential election. He predicted the former is more likely.
The appointment of former Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire to the defence ministry sparked particular outrage, given his role in the soaring national deficit during Covid-19. The Paris stock exchange dropped 1.7% on Monday morning, with uncertainty looming over the national budget, due for ministerial approval on Tuesday but now in disarray.
