France Plunges into Deeper Political Turmoil as PM Sebastien Lecornu and Cabinet Resign After Just 14 Hours in Office

Paris: France’s newly appointed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and his cabinet resigned on Monday, only hours after the government’s formation — marking the shortest-lived administration in modern French history and plunging the nation deeper into political crisis.

The abrupt resignation came amid mounting pressure from both allies and opposition parties, many of whom threatened to bring down the government immediately after its announcement. Lecornu stated that the hostile political climate made it impossible for him to perform his duties effectively. The news triggered sharp declines in French stocks and the euro, underscoring market concerns over the escalating instability.

Lecornu, President Emmanuel Macron’s fifth prime minister in just two years, spent 27 days in office, while his government survived a mere 14 hours before collapsing. The episode has further exposed the deep divisions in the French parliament, even as Europe’s second-largest economy grapples with mounting debt and a growing fiscal deficit.

Macron Faces Pressure as Crisis Deepens

France’s political landscape has been increasingly fractured since Macron’s re-election in 2022, with no party holding a parliamentary majority. His decision to call snap parliamentary elections last year backfired, producing an even more fragmented legislature and deepening the political gridlock.

With Lecornu’s resignation, Macron now faces limited options: call fresh elections, appoint another prime minister, or attempt to govern through technocratic measures. Though Macron’s presidential term runs until May 2027, he has repeatedly ruled out stepping down or calling new elections.

As of Monday evening, the president had not publicly commented on the crisis. Television footage broadcast by BFM TV showed Macron walking alone along the Seine — a solitary image reflecting the mounting isolation of his presidency.

Opposition Demands Snap Elections or Macron’s Resignation

Opposition leaders across the political spectrum wasted no time in demanding action.

“This farce has gone on long enough — it must end,” declared Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right Rassemblement National.
“The countdown has begun. Macron must go,” added Mathilde Panot of the hard-left France Unbowed party.

Conservative figures also voiced frustration. David Lisnard of Les Républicains joined calls for the president to step down, while the party’s leader, Bruno Retailleau — whose criticism of Lecornu’s cabinet lineup had played a key role in triggering the crisis — urged Macron to address the nation.

“If there is a deadlock, then we must return to the polls,” Retailleau told TF1 TV. “But there may still be other solutions before reaching that point.”

Lecornu, for his part, blamed political “egos” for his inability to build consensus, saying rival factions were “more focused on personal ambition than national interest.”

A Cabinet That Lasted Hours

After weeks of negotiations with political parties, Lecornu — one of Macron’s most trusted allies — unveiled his cabinet on Sunday evening, with its first meeting scheduled for Monday afternoon. However, the lineup immediately drew backlash from both sides of the political spectrum. Critics dismissed it as either too right-wing or insufficiently conservative, leaving the new prime minister without parliamentary support.

As opposition parties prepared no-confidence motions, Lecornu tendered his resignation, which Macron accepted.

On the streets of Paris, citizens expressed dismay at the country’s worsening instability.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Gerard Duseteu, a 79-year-old retiree. “I’m almost ashamed to be French.”
“We can’t go on like this,” added Marius Loyer, a 20-year-old political science student.

Markets React: Euro and Stocks Slide

The political turmoil rippled through financial markets. France’s CAC 40 index, valued at nearly $3 trillion, fell as much as 2%, making it the worst-performing major European index on Monday. Banking stocks were hit particularly hard, and the euro slipped 0.7% to $1.1665.

Analysts warned that continued instability could erode investor confidence across the eurozone.

“It’s one government after another — that’s the main problem for French assets,” said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG Group. “The uncertainty in France is spilling over to the rest of Europe.”

France’s public debt now stands at 113.9% of GDP, while last year’s budget deficit was nearly double the EU’s 3% ceiling. Lecornu’s two predecessors also fell amid parliamentary resistance to spending reforms, highlighting the deep political impasse over fiscal tightening.

A Crisis of the Fifth Republic

France has rarely faced such political paralysis since the founding of the Fifth Republic in 1958, a system designed to prevent instability by concentrating power in the presidency. Yet Macron, whose rise in 2017 disrupted traditional party structures, now finds himself presiding over an increasingly fragmented and polarized political order.

The French system, historically resistant to coalition politics, is struggling to adapt to a parliament divided among multiple parties with little common ground.

For now, France waits for Macron’s next move — a decision that could determine not only the future of his presidency but also the stability of the French Republic itself.