French Prime Minister Lecornu Resigns After Just 26 Days in Office, Deepening Political Crisis

Published: 06 September 2025. The English Chronicle Desk

France has been plunged into renewed political turmoil after Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced his resignation less than a month into his tenure. The dramatic development comes just 26 days after Lecornu, a close ally of President Emmanuel Macron, was appointed to lead the government following the collapse of François Bayrou’s administration.

In a brief but pointed statement outside the Hôtel de Matignon, the prime minister’s official residence, Lecornu said the “conditions were not fulfilled” for him to carry on in his role. He accused political parties of being unwilling to compromise, charging that they were “behaving as if they had absolute majorities” despite the country’s fractured parliament. “I was ready for compromise, but all parties demanded that their entire programmes be adopted in full,” Lecornu said, adding that the French political class needed humility and a willingness to “cast egos aside” if the nation were to move forward.

The announcement came on Monday morning after Lecornu held a one-hour meeting with President Macron at the Elysée Palace. Within hours, the presidential office confirmed his departure, sending shockwaves through a political system already weakened by instability. This resignation marks the fifth time in less than two years that France has seen a prime minister leave office, underscoring the depth of the current crisis.

Lecornu’s exit has immediately sparked calls for fresh elections, with opposition parties sensing an opportunity to capitalize on Macron’s dwindling authority. Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally (RN), declared that “the only wise thing to do now is to hold elections,” arguing that the French people are “fed up” and that Macron has placed the country in “an extremely difficult position.” Other parties across the political spectrum echoed her sentiment, with some even demanding that Macron himself step aside. However, the president has consistently ruled out resigning before his term ends in 2027.

Macron now faces three unenviable choices. He can appoint yet another prime minister, risking another swift collapse. He can dissolve the National Assembly and call for fresh legislative elections. Or, in the most unlikely scenario, he could resign. Given Lecornu’s reputation as one of Macron’s most loyal allies, his failure is seen by many as leaving the president with few viable options. Analysts suggest that while Macron may attempt to name a Socialist figure to broaden his appeal, such a government would likely not last long under the current parliamentary deadlock.

The roots of the crisis stretch back to July 2024, when Macron called snap parliamentary elections in the hope of securing a stable majority after a humiliating defeat for his centrist alliance in the European Parliament vote. Instead, the elections resulted in a hung parliament, split among ideologically opposed blocs that have refused to cooperate. Since then, successive governments have fallen victim to the gridlock. Michel Barnier’s short-lived premiership ended in three months, while François Bayrou’s administration collapsed nine months later after parliament refused to back his austerity budget aimed at cutting €44 billion from public spending.

The economic backdrop makes the political paralysis even more dangerous. France’s deficit reached 5.8 percent of GDP in 2024, while its national debt has ballooned to 114 percent of GDP — the third highest in the eurozone after Greece and Italy. The scale of the debt, equivalent to nearly €50,000 per citizen, has placed immense pressure on policymakers to rein in spending. Yet any attempt to push through austerity measures has met fierce resistance in parliament, leaving France unable to pursue meaningful reforms.

Financial markets reacted sharply to the news of Lecornu’s resignation. Stocks on the Paris exchange fell steeply on Monday morning as investors grappled with the growing uncertainty. Analysts warn that prolonged instability could undermine France’s ability to borrow affordably, further damaging Europe’s second-largest economy.

For Macron, the resignation of Lecornu represents a bitter personal setback. The former armed forces minister was regarded as a last resort choice, the ultimate loyalist who could hold the fragile government together while the president sought a longer-term solution. Instead, his departure after less than a month has reinforced the impression of a presidency besieged from all sides, with no clear pathway out of the crisis.

Observers now widely expect Macron to call new legislative elections, even though polls suggest such a move could prove disastrous for his centrist alliance. Current forecasts point to heavy losses for the president’s camp and major gains for Marine Le Pen’s far-right movement, a scenario that could transform the French political landscape. But with options dwindling, Macron may find himself forced to gamble on elections rather than face the continued humiliation of governments that cannot survive even a matter of weeks.

The Lecornu episode may prove to be a defining moment in France’s Fifth Republic, highlighting not just the fragility of its institutions but also the widening gulf between its political class and an electorate growing increasingly restless. Whether fresh elections bring clarity or deepen the division remains to be seen, but what is clear is that France has entered a period of acute uncertainty, with consequences that will reverberate well beyond Paris.