Why the French PM Resigned After Only 27 Days – and What Could Happen Next

The French prime minister, the country's leader, has resigned along with the cabinet, less than a month following taking office and within hours of the new cabinet being announced, dramatically deepening the country's governmental turmoil.

This marks the latest shock development in a series of events indicating that France, the EU’s second-biggest member state, faces growing governance challenges. Let's examine recent developments, why – and future possibilities.

What Just Happened?

Lecornu, after less than a month in office, submitted his departure and that of his government on Monday, only half a day after the key members of his cabinet had been announced. He became the briefest-serving PM in modern French history.

The 39-year-old, ex-defense chief, aligned with the president, was France’s fifth prime minister after Macron's second term and the third since Macron dissolved parliament triggering snap polls conducted months ago.

He attributed the resignation to political rigidity, saying he had been “willing to negotiate, yet all factions demanded every other party to adopt its full programme.” He noted it “not take much for it to work,” but “partisan attitudes” and “personal ambitions” stood in the way, according to him.

His departure spooked investors, as the CAC 40 fell 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 – similar to its projected budget deficit of nearly 6%.

Underlying Causes

The roots of the crisis lie in last year's sudden polls, which produced a hung parliament divided between three nearly equal factions: the left, nationalist right & the president's centrist coalition, with no group coming close to a clear majority.

France’s financial crisis has only added to that instability, along with the 2027 presidential race. The president is term-limited, as parties position themselves before the vote, compromise in the assembly is increasingly elusive.

Lecornu faced a difficult task of passing an austerity budget in a fractured parliament targeting reduction of the large fiscal gap – a task that defeated his two immediate predecessors, removed by lawmakers for similar efforts.

The final catalyst for his resignation appears to have been response from conservative parties to the new cabinet. They claimed the largely unchanged lineup did not reflect a significant shift with past politics he had pledged.

But announcement of the main cabinet posts on Sunday evening prompted fierce criticism from across the political spectrum, with allies and opponents denouncing it as either too rightwing or not rightwing enough, and threatening to topple the new government.

Reappointing Bruno Le Maire, long-time finance chief, to government as defence minister angered many lawmakers from most parties, 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 disband the assembly and call new votes, as leftist groups renewed demands for the president himself to step down.

Macron has three main options, each risky and none very appealing. Initially, he could name a new prime minister. Someone from his circle now appears unlikely, and a centrist left candidate could undermine his pension changes.

Alternatively, selecting a staunch conservative would anger left-wing parties. Given the pressing need to secure some agreement for approving annual spending, experts propose he may try to turn to a non-party political technocrat.

Next, he could dissolve the national assembly and call fresh legislative elections, an option he has resisted and surveys indicate could yield another split result – or bring nationalists to power.

His final option is stepping down, 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.