The Reasons Behind the French Prime Minister Stepped Down After Only 27 Days – & Potential Happen Next

The French PM, the country's leader, has resigned along with the cabinet, less than 30 days following taking office and within moments after unveiling his ministers, significantly worsening the country's governmental turmoil.

It is the latest shock development in a series of events that suggest the nation, Europe's second-largest economy, is becoming increasingly ungovernable. Let's examine what just happened, the causes and what might come next.

Recent Events

Lecornu, after less than a month in office, submitted his departure and that of his government this week, barely 12 hours after the key members of his cabinet had been announced. This made him the shortest-lived prime minister since the Fifth Republic began.

The 39-year-old, former defence minister, aligned with the president, was France’s fifth prime minister since the president’s re-election in 2022 and third leader post-parliament dissolution and called early legislative elections that were held last summer.

Lecornu blamed party-political intransigence, stating he was “ready to compromise, yet all factions demanded others accept their entire agenda.” He noted it “would require little to succeed,” however “partisan attitudes” along with “certain egos” stood in the way, he said.

The resignation alarmed markets, as the CAC 40 fell 2% and the euro declined 0.7%. The national debt ratio is the EU’s third-highest behind Greece and Italy, nearly double the 60% permitted under EU rules – similar to the nearly 6% deficit forecast.

Underlying Causes

The roots of the crisis lie in last year's sudden polls, which produced a hung parliament divided between three more or less equal blocs: left-wing groups, nationalist right & the president's centrist coalition, none nearing a majority.

France’s financial crisis worsened the uncertainty, along with presidential elections due in 2027. The president is term-limited, as parties position themselves ahead of elections, common ground in parliament has become even harder to find.

Lecornu faced the tough job of passing an austerity budget in a fractured parliament aimed at reining in the large fiscal gap – a challenge that ousted the previous two PMs, removed by lawmakers for similar efforts.

The final catalyst leading to his exit seems to be response from conservative parties to the new cabinet. The party said the largely unchanged lineup failed to represent a significant shift from previous approaches that Lecornu had promised.

Revealing key ministries last Sunday prompted fierce criticism from all sides, with allies and opponents denouncing it for being too conservative or insufficiently so, and endangering its stability.

Reappointing Bruno Le Maire, long-time finance chief, to government as defence minister particularly enraged politicians across factions, who saw it as a confirmation that Macron’s pro-business economic policies were not up for discussion.

Future Scenarios

Nationalist parties of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella has called on Macron to disband the assembly and hold fresh elections, as leftist groups renewed demands for the president himself to step down.

Macron has three main options, all hazardous and uninviting. Initially, he could name a new prime minister. A figure from within his own camp now appears unlikely, while even a moderate leftwinger would challenge his hard-won pension reform.

On the other hand, appointing a confirmed rightwinger would infuriate the left bloc. Given the pressing need to secure some agreement to at least pass a budget for this year, experts propose he might consider an independent expert.

Second, he may dissolve parliament and initiate new elections, a move he has consistently said he is reluctant to do and which polls suggest could yield another split result – or bring nationalists to power.

His final option is stepping down, however, he has refused to leave prior to the 2027 vote – an election viewed as pivotal in French politics, with Le Pen sensing her best ever chance of taking power.