Why the French Prime Minister Stepped Down Following Only 27 Days – and Potential Happen Next

France's PM, Sébastien Lecornu, has resigned together with the cabinet, less than 30 days after his appointment and just moments after unveiling his ministers, dramatically deepening the country's governmental turmoil.

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

What Just Happened?

The prime minister, after less than a month in office, tendered his resignation along with the entire cabinet on Monday, barely 12 hours following the ministerial lineup reveal. This made him the briefest-serving PM since the Fifth Republic began.

Aged 39, former defence minister, a close ally of Emmanuel Macron, served as the fifth PM after Macron's second term and third leader post-parliament dissolution and called early legislative elections that were held last summer.

Lecornu blamed political rigidity, stating he was “willing to negotiate, but every party wanted every other party to adopt its full programme.” It would “not take much for it to work,” however “ideological stubbornness” and “personal ambitions” blocked progress, he said.

His departure alarmed markets, as the CAC 40 fell 2% and the euro declined 0.7%. The national debt ratio ranks third in the EU behind Greece and Italy, nearly double the 60% permitted under EU rules – similar to the nearly 6% deficit forecast.

Why Did It Happen?

The roots of the crisis lie in that 2024 snap general election, which produced a split assembly divided between three nearly equal factions: left-wing groups, nationalist right & Macron’s own centre-right alliance, none nearing a majority.

The economic downturn has only added to that instability, along with presidential elections due in 2027. Macron cannot stand again, as parties position themselves ahead of elections, compromise in the assembly is increasingly elusive.

He encountered a difficult task to approve spending cuts in a fractured parliament targeting reduction of 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 did not reflect the “profound break” from previous approaches that Lecornu had promised.

But announcement of the main cabinet posts 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 endangering its stability.

Reappointing Bruno Le Maire, Macron’s economy minister for seven years, to government as defence minister angered many lawmakers across factions, who saw it as a confirmation that Macron’s pro-business economic policies was non-negotiable.

Future Scenarios

Nationalist parties of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella urged the president to dissolve parliament and hold fresh elections, as leftist groups has reiterated longstanding calls for the president himself to step down.

The president faces three choices, all hazardous and none very appealing. First, he might appoint another PM. Someone from his circle now appears unlikely, and a centrist left candidate would challenge his hard-won pension reform.

On the other hand, selecting a staunch conservative would anger left-wing parties. Due to urgent requirements to secure some agreement to at least pass a budget for this year, experts propose he might consider an independent expert.

Next, he could dissolve the national assembly 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 potentially usher in an RN government.

His final option would be to resign, however, he has refused to leave before the presidential election in 2027 – an election viewed as pivotal in French politics, with Le Pen sensing her best ever chance of taking power.