France is once again in political turmoil after Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned today, just 26 days into his tenure. President Emmanuel Macron now faces three potential courses of action, according to BBC analysis.
Lecornu was appointed after the government of François Bayrou fell, following the rejection of his budget by parliament. His resignation came a day after he announced a cabinet that was largely unchanged from Bayrou’s and faced harsh criticism from all parties in the National Assembly, many of which threatened to vote against him.
French media report that Macron is not expected to make a statement on Monday, leaving uncertainty over how he will resolve the political deadlock.
The French political landscape has been highly unstable since July 2024, when Macron called early parliamentary elections to secure a clear majority, following significant losses in the European Parliament elections. However, the results produced a parliament divided into ideologically opposed factions, deeply at odds with each other and reluctant to cooperate.
Some parties are now demanding new elections, while others are calling for Macron’s resignation — although the president has repeatedly stated that he will not step down before the end of his term in 2027. Marine Le Pen of the far-right Rassemblement National called for elections, stating: “The French people are tired. Macron has put the country in an extremely difficult situation.”
Macron now has three options:
- Appoint a new prime minister,
- Dissolve the National Assembly and call for new elections, or
- Resign himself.
The last option is seen as unlikely, while appointing a new prime minister would be the natural choice. However, Lecornu — Macron’s last loyalist — has already failed in this role, leaving limited options.
A socialist appointment could be considered, giving the left a chance to govern, but a socialist administration would likely also be short-lived. Logically, the country may be heading towards new parliamentary elections, which would probably result in a significant loss for Macron’s centrist faction and a major gain for Marine Le Pen’s far-right party.
Lecornu, a former Minister of Defense, became France’s fifth prime minister in less than two years, highlighting the political instability in the country.
