France’s new prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, resigned on Monday, just hours after appointing his new cabinet, after allies and foes alike threatened to topple his government.
His resignation was unexpected and unprecedented and marked another major deepening of France’s political crisis. French stocks dropped sharply, as did the euro, on news of the resignation.
It comes only 26 days after he was appointed prime minister following the collapse of the previous government of François Bayrou.
After weeks of consultations with political parties across the board, Mr Lecornu, a close ally of president Emmanuel Macron, on Sunday appointed his ministers, and the cabinet had been set to hold its first meeting on Monday afternoon.
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But the new cabinet line-up had angered opponents and allies alike, who either found it too rightwing or not enough, raising questions on how long it could last, at a time when France is already mired deep in political crisis, with no group holding a majority in a fragmented parliament.
Mr Lecornu handed his resignation to Mr Macron on Monday morning.
“Mr Sebastien Lecornu has submitted the resignation of his government to the president of the Republic, who has accepted it,” the Élysée’s press office said.
French politics has become increasingly unstable since Mr Macron’s re-election in 2022 for want of any party or grouping holding a parliamentary majority.
Mr Macron’s decision to call a snap parliamentary election last year deepened the crisis by producing an even more fragmented parliament.
Mr Lecornu, who was only appointed last month, was Mr Macron’s fifth prime minister in two years. − Reuters
