France’s new Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu resigns amid political turmoil

France has been thrown into a new political crisis after recently appointed Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu resigned just weeks into the job. Lecornu, the fifth person to hold the office in under two years, faced the daunting task of winning over a deeply divided parliament and reassuring investors that he could push through the crucial 2026 budget. Appointed in early September amid growing public discontent and political turmoil, his short tenure followed a string of governments that had struggled to pass budgets involving spending cuts and tax hikes, leaving the country’s finances and leadership in a state of flux.

French President Emmanuel Macron accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Monday (October 6), just hours after the newly appointed leader revealed his cabinet lineup, the Elysee Palace announced. The sudden development has pushed France deeper into a worsening political stalemate. Lecornu, who previously served as defence minister, had been appointed prime minister only last month. However, the cabinet he presented on Sunday night — largely unchanged from the previous government — drew sharp criticism from parties across the political spectrum.

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Why did Sebastien Lecornu resign?

He was facing the formidable challenge of steering a deeply divided parliament toward passing a tough austerity budget for the upcoming year. His two predecessors, Francois Bayrou and Michel Barnier, were both forced out after clashes with lawmakers over the same spending plan. The political turbulence comes as France grapples with mounting debt. Official figures released last week showed that the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio has climbed to the third highest in the European Union, behind only Greece and Italy — and is nearly double the 60 per cent ceiling set by EU rules.

What is happening in France?

For the past three years, successive governments had bypassed parliament by pushing budgets through using a constitutional mechanism that does not require a vote, a move heavily criticised by the opposition. Lecornu had recently pledged to restore parliamentary debate by allowing lawmakers to vote on the new budget. France’s legislative gridlock stems from Macron’s decision to call snap parliamentary elections last year, aiming to strengthen his hold on power. Instead, the gamble weakened his majority in the National Assembly, leaving his centrist alliance in a minority and complicating governance ever since.