🔗 Share this article French Prime Minister Lecornu Resigns After Under a 30-Day Period in Power The French Premier Lecornu has stepped down, shortly after his cabinet was announced. The Elysée palace made the announcement after the Prime Minister met President Emmanuel Macron for an meeting on the start of the week. This unexpected development comes only 26 days after Lecornu was given the PM role following the collapse of the previous government of his predecessor. Various groups in the National Assembly had sharply condemned the structure of the new government, which was largely unchanged to Bayrou's, and vowed to reject it. Pressure for New Vote and Government Instability Multiple political groups are now calling for early elections, with others urging Macron to step down as well - despite the fact that he has consistently affirmed he will not leave before his term ends in the year 2027. "Macron needs to decide: calling new elections or resignation," said Sébastien Chenu, one of leading figures of the National Rally. The outgoing PM - the former armed forces minister and a supporter of Macron - was France's fifth prime minister in less than 24 months. Context of Political Crisis The nation's governance has been markedly turbulent since last summer, when sudden national voting resulted in a deadlocked assembly. This has created challenges for each PM to secure enough backing to enact new laws. Bayrou's government was voted down in September after lawmakers voted against his fiscal tightening package, which aimed to slash government spending by €44bn. Economic Pressures and Market Response France's deficit reached 5.8% of GDP in 2024 and its national debt is 114 percent of GDP. That is the number three debt level in the European monetary union after Italy and Greece, and equivalent to almost €50,000 per French citizen. Markets declined in the Paris exchange after the news of Lecornu's resignation broke on the start of the week.