The Reasons Behind France's PM Resigned After Just 27 Days – and Potential Follow

The French prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, stepped down along with his government, under a month following his appointment and just hours of the new cabinet being announced, dramatically deepening the country's governmental turmoil.

This marks another surprising turn in a series of events indicating that the nation, the EU’s second-biggest member state, is becoming increasingly ungovernable. Let's examine recent developments, why – and future possibilities.

Recent Events

The prime minister, who was appointed 27 days ago, tendered his resignation along with the entire cabinet this week, barely 12 hours after the key members of his cabinet had been announced. This made him the shortest-lived prime minister since the Fifth Republic began.

The 39-year-old, former defence minister, a close ally of Emmanuel Macron, served as the fifth PM after Macron's second term and the third post-parliament dissolution and called early legislative elections conducted months ago.

He attributed the resignation to party-political intransigence, stating he was “ready to compromise, but every party wanted others accept their entire agenda.” It would “would require little to succeed,” but “ideological stubbornness” along with “personal ambitions” blocked progress, he said.

The resignation spooked investors, as the CAC 40 fell 2% and the euro declined 0.7%. France’s debt-to-GDP ratio is the EU’s third-highest behind Greece and Italy, almost twice the 60% permitted under EU rules – as is its projected budget deficit of nearly 6%.

Underlying Causes

Origins of the turmoil stem from that 2024 snap general election, which produced a split assembly split among 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 worsened the uncertainty, along with the 2027 presidential race. The president is term-limited, as parties position themselves before the vote, common ground in parliament has become even harder to find.

Lecornu faced the tough job of passing an austerity budget in a fractured parliament aimed at reining in the large fiscal gap – a task that defeated the previous two PMs, who were ousted by MPs over the plan.

The immediate trigger leading to his exit appears to have been the reaction of the centre-right Les Républicains to the new cabinet. They claimed the largely unchanged lineup failed to represent a significant shift with past politics he had pledged.

Revealing key ministries last Sunday prompted fierce criticism 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.

Reappointing Bruno Le Maire, Macron’s economy minister for seven years, to government as defence minister angered many lawmakers from most parties, who saw it as a confirmation that his economic agenda were not up for discussion.

Future Scenarios

The far-right National Rally led by Le Pen and Bardella urged the president to dissolve parliament and call new votes, as leftist groups renewed demands for the president himself to step down.

Macron has three main options, each risky and none very appealing. Initially, he might appoint another PM. A figure from within his own camp now appears unlikely, while even a moderate leftwinger would challenge his hard-won pension reform.

On the other hand, appointing a confirmed rightwinger would infuriate the left bloc. Due to urgent requirements to secure some agreement for approving annual spending, experts propose he might consider an independent expert.

Next, he may dissolve parliament and call fresh legislative elections, a move he has consistently said he is reluctant to do and surveys indicate would probably return another divided parliament – or bring nationalists to power.

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 for France, with Le Pen sensing her best ever chance of taking power.