France In Fresh Chaos As Macron’s PM Resigns After One Month In Office
France has been thrown into fresh political turmoil as Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu resigned on Monday, barely weeks after taking office, marking yet another major setback for President Emmanuel Macron.
The Elysee Palace confirmed that Macron has accepted Lecornu’s resignation, deepening the political deadlock that has gripped the country since last year’s snap parliamentary elections produced a hung parliament.
Lecornu, who was appointed just last month as Macron’s fifth prime minister in two years, stepped down only hours after unveiling his new cabinet on Sunday. The lineup, largely unchanged from that of his predecessor, Francois Bayrou sparked outrage in the National Assembly, where lawmakers from all political camps threatened to vote it down.
The 37-year-old, once hailed as one of Macron’s most trusted allies and a rising technocrat, had faced mounting criticism from both the left and right. Many viewed his cabinet as too right-leaning, while others accused him of lacking the political strength needed to navigate France’s deeply divided parliament.
Lecornu’s brief tenure followed the downfall of Bayrou, who resigned in September after losing a confidence vote over his controversial austerity plan to cut billions from public spending.
His exit sparked a new wave of unrest across France, with protesters taking to the streets under the banner of the “Let’s Block Everything” campaign, a growing anti-Macron movement that has drawn comparisons to the Yellow Vest protests.
Riot police have struggled to contain violent demonstrations in cities including Paris and Montpellier, as anger over Macron’s leadership continues to spread.
Lecornu, a former defense minister and longtime loyalist, was initially seen as a safe pair of hands, a figure without presidential ambitions and known for his ability to manage crises quietly behind the scenes. But his short-lived premiership now leaves France facing yet another leadership vacuum at a time of deep political and social unrest.
The Elysee has yet to announce who will replace Lecornu as prime minister.
