FRENCH Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has resigned after just 27 days in office.
Emmanuel Macron had only appointed Lecornu less than a month ago – making him his fifth PM in the space of two years.
ReutersFrench Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has resigned after less than a month in office[/caption]
AFPEmmanuel Macron had only appointed Lecornu on September 9[/caption]
President Macron accepted a letter of resignation this morning, the Elysee Palace said.
Lecornu served as Minister for the Armed Forces since 2022 before being asked to serve as PM on September 9.
The shock move came after Lecornu, 39, appointed his cabinet on Sunday night.
Parisian political rivals threatened to topple the PM’s already struggling government after the cabinet was approved.
Both political allies and foes of Lecornu fumed at his choices and criticised it for either being too right-wing or not right-wing enough.
It comes as extremist parties continue to put pressure on France’s governmental establishment.
President Macron has faced a political crisis since he called an ill-advised snap election last summer.
His centrist bloc lost dozens of seats amid a spike in support for the far-right.
While a left wing coalition came first in the end, no party is anywhere close a majority in the French Parliament.
Macron will now need to announce another PM in the coming weeks – his eighth since being appointed as President.
In France, Prime Ministers are directly appointed by the President and are then responsible for forming a government.
François Bayrou stepped down in September after having only been appointed the December before.
The 74-year-old voluntarily called a confidence motion in the full knowledge he was unlikely to survive in the high-pressure role.
Bayrou’s predecessor Michel Barnier – well known for his past role as the EU’s Brexit negotiator – only lasted three months before he was removed.
As Macron scrambles to appoint another ally to become his PM, Marine Le Pen and Jorgan Bardella’s National Rally – the largest party in the National Assembly with 123 seats – has called for parliament to be dissolved.
Macron himself is now also facing calls for his resignation.
Millions in France regularly take part in strikes and street marches, known as “Block Everything” protests, supported by trade unions.
Despite the fierce opposition, Macron is under no obligation to quit.
He will be forced to step down in 2027 after completing two terms of office – the maximum allowed in France.
Inside Macron’s cursed PM role
Sebastien Lecornu: 27 days – Sep 9, 2025 to Oct 6, 2025
Francois Bayrou: 270 days – Dec 13, 2024 to Sep 9, 2025
Michel Barnier: 99 days – Sep 5, 2024 to Dec 13, 2024
Gabriel Attal: 240 days – Jan 9, 2024 to Sep 5, 2024
Elisabeth Borne: 1yr 238 days – May 16, 2022 to Jan 9, 2024
Jean Castex: 1yr 317 days – July 3, 2020 to May 16, 2022
Edouard Philippe: 3yrs 49 days – May 15, 2017 to July 3, 2020
AFP‘Block Everything’ protests have erupted in France over the past few months in response to Macron’s government woes[/caption]
AFPProtesters gather for a roadblock in Montpellier, France after ex-PM François Bayrou resigned[/caption]