French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has resigned from his position, effective immediately, just 27 days after being appointed by President Emmanuel Macron. The resignation was confirmed by the Élysée Palace.
Lecornu, who previously served as Minister of Defence, was appointed to the role on September 20th. His brief tenure was marked by the recent presentation of his cabinet lineup and the announcement of proposed tax measures targeting income exceeding €250,000.
Tensions had been rising between Macron’s government and the centre-right Les Républicains party, who expressed dissatisfaction with the allocation of cabinet positions. Reports of an emergency meeting within Les Républicains surfaced, raising speculation that the party could potentially withdraw from the governing coalition. The coalition, even with the support of Les Républicains, has lacked a parliamentary majority since snap legislative elections were held in July 2024.
The appointment of Lecornu was part of a strategy by President Macron, initially intending for the new Prime Minister to secure a parliamentary majority for the upcoming budget before presenting a full government proposal. However, an agreement on the budget has yet to be reached.
Lecornu’s predecessor, François Bayrou, also faced parliamentary challenges, losing a vote of confidence in the National Assembly after only nine months in office. Disagreements over proposed austerity measures were central to that political impasse. The fragile political landscape continues to present significant obstacles to Macron’s agenda.
