Why France's Prime Minister Resigned Following Only 27 Days – and Potential Follow

France's PM, Sébastien Lecornu, has resigned together with his government, under 30 days following his appointment and within hours after unveiling his ministers, dramatically deepening the country's governmental turmoil.

This marks the latest shock development in a series of events indicating that the nation, Europe's second-largest economy, is becoming increasingly ungovernable. Let's examine what just happened, why – and what might come next.

What Just Happened?

Lecornu, who was appointed 27 days ago, submitted his departure along with the entire cabinet this week, only half a day following the ministerial lineup reveal. This made him the briefest-serving PM in modern French history.

The 39-year-old, ex-defense chief, aligned with the president, served as the fifth PM after Macron's second term and the third post-parliament dissolution triggering snap polls that were held last summer.

He attributed the resignation to party-political intransigence, saying he had been “willing to negotiate, yet all factions demanded every other party to adopt its full programme.” He noted it “would require little to succeed,” but “partisan attitudes” and “certain egos” stood in the way, he said.

The resignation alarmed markets, with the CAC 40 stock index dropping 2% and the euro declined 0.7%. The national debt ratio ranks third in the EU after Greece and Italy, almost twice the EU's 60% limit – as is its projected budget deficit of nearly 6%.

Why Did It Happen?

The roots of the crisis lie in that 2024 snap general election, that resulted in a split assembly divided between three nearly equal factions: the left, nationalist right & the president's centrist coalition, none nearing a majority.

The economic downturn has only added to that instability, along with the 2027 presidential race. The president is term-limited, and with each party keen to stake out its ground ahead of elections, common ground in parliament has become even harder to find.

He encountered the tough job of passing an austerity budget through the divided assembly aimed at reining in the yawning budget deficit – a challenge that ousted the previous two PMs, removed by lawmakers for similar efforts.

The final catalyst for his resignation seems to be response from conservative parties regarding the ministerial team. The party said the largely unchanged lineup did not reflect the “profound break” from previous approaches that Lecornu had promised.

But announcement of the main cabinet posts on Sunday evening prompted fierce criticism from all sides, with allies and opponents denouncing it as either too rightwing or not rightwing enough, and endangering its stability.

Reappointing Bruno Le Maire, Macron’s economy minister for seven years, as defense head particularly enraged politicians from most parties, viewing it as proof that Macron’s pro-business economic policies were not up for discussion.

Future Scenarios

Nationalist parties of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella urged the president to disband the assembly and call new votes, while the radical left France Unbowed renewed demands for Macron's resignation.

The president faces three choices, each risky and uninviting. Initially, he could name a new prime minister. Someone from his circle seems improbable, 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. Given the pressing need to secure some agreement for approving annual spending, experts propose he may try to turn to an independent expert.

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 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.