Sébastien Lecornu has stepped down as Prime Minister of France, submitting his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, just 27 days after taking office. His brief tenure marks the shortest in French Fifth Republic history, with his government lasting only 12 hours after appointment and never presenting a program.
Speaking from the Matignon Palace, Lecornu explained his resignation: “You cannot be Prime Minister when the conditions are not met. I tried to chart a path with social partners, employer unions, and labor unions, especially on issues blocked for weeks, such as unemployment insurance and social security.”
He also emphasized the need for prioritizing the nation over political parties: “We must always put country over party. Some things can be done before 2027. We must maintain a sense of general interest and build compromises between political forces while respecting red lines.”
Lecornu cited three main reasons for his resignation:
- Political parties ignored the deep systemic changes he tried to implement, including the planned use of Article 49.3 to pass the budget.
- Parties acted as if they held absolute parliamentary majorities.
- The composition of the government exposed small-party ambitions tied to the upcoming presidential elections.
The resignation comes amid growing instability in French politics, following Macron’s 2022 reelection in a parliament with no clear majority. Lecornu’s departure was unexpected, as his cabinet was scheduled to meet for the first time on Monday.
The political landscape reacted immediately as officials such as Philippe Brun, Socialist MP, told BFMTV: “We are ready to take responsibility for the country.” Meanwhile, Jean-Luc Mélenchon and members of La France Insoumise (LFI) called for Macron’s removal, submitting a parliamentary motion signed by 104 deputies.
Jordan Bardella, head of the far-right National Rally, called for the dissolution of the National Assembly and immediate elections, arguing that stability cannot return without fresh polls. Similarly, Mathilde Panot, president of the Unsubmissive France parliamentary group, urged Macron to step down.
The announcement triggered turmoil in financial markets, with the Paris stock exchange experiencing a more than 2% drop in the CAC 40 index as investors reacted to the political uncertainty.
Lecornu is expected to address the French public in a formal statement, as the nation braces for a new period of political turbulence and debates over potential elections.
