The Reasons Behind France's Prime Minister Resigned After Just 27 Days – and What Could Happen Next

France's prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, stepped down together with the cabinet, less than a month after taking office and within moments of the new cabinet being announced, dramatically deepening France's political crisis.

It is the latest shock development following recent incidents indicating that the nation, Europe's second-largest economy, faces growing governance challenges. Let's examine recent developments, why – and future possibilities.

What Just Happened?

The prime minister, after less than a month in office, tendered his resignation and that of his government this week, only half a day after the key members of his cabinet had been announced. This made him the shortest-lived prime minister since the Fifth Republic began.

Aged 39, ex-defense chief, a close ally of Emmanuel Macron, served as the fifth PM after Macron's second term and the third since Macron dissolved parliament triggering snap polls that were held last summer.

Lecornu blamed party-political intransigence, saying he had been “ready to compromise, yet all factions demanded every other party to adopt its full programme.” It would “would require little to succeed,” however “ideological stubbornness” and “certain egos” stood in the way, according to him.

His departure alarmed markets, as the CAC 40 fell 2% and the euro declined 0.7%. The national debt ratio is the EU’s third-highest behind Greece and Italy, nearly double the EU's 60% limit – as is the nearly 6% deficit forecast.

Underlying Causes

Origins of the turmoil stem from last year's sudden polls, that resulted in a split assembly split among three nearly equal factions: left-wing groups, nationalist right & the president's centrist coalition, with no group coming close to a clear majority.

The economic downturn has only added to that instability, as have the 2027 presidential race. The president is term-limited, and with each party keen to stake out its ground before the vote, compromise in the assembly is increasingly elusive.

Lecornu faced a difficult task to approve spending cuts in a fractured parliament targeting reduction of the large fiscal gap – a challenge that ousted his two immediate predecessors, removed by lawmakers for similar efforts.

The final catalyst for his resignation seems to be response from conservative parties to the new cabinet. They claimed the largely unchanged lineup did not reflect a significant shift with past politics that Lecornu had promised.

Revealing key ministries last Sunday 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, Macron’s economy minister for seven years, to government as defence minister particularly enraged politicians across factions, who saw it as a confirmation that his economic agenda were not up for discussion.

What Might Happen Now?

Nationalist parties of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella urged the president to disband the assembly and call new votes, as leftist groups has reiterated longstanding calls for Macron's resignation.

Macron has three main options, each risky and none very appealing. Initially, he might appoint another PM. A figure from within his own camp seems improbable, while even a moderate leftwinger could undermine his pension changes.

On the other hand, selecting a staunch conservative would infuriate the left bloc. Given the pressing need to secure some agreement for approving annual spending, some analysts have suggested he might consider a non-party political technocrat.

Next, he could dissolve the national assembly and call fresh legislative elections, an option he has resisted and which polls suggest would probably return another divided parliament – or bring nationalists to power.

The last choice would be to resign, however, he has refused to leave before the presidential election in 2027 – a vote seen as a historic crossroads for France, with Le Pen sensing her best ever chance of taking power.