French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigns after only a month in office, plunging President Macron’s government into fresh turmoil.
In a stunning political collapse that underscores France’s deepening instability, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu tendered his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron on Monday—barely a month after his appointment—becoming the shortest-serving prime minister in French history.
The Élysée Palace confirmed the resignation, marking the fourth prime minister to fall since July 2024, and the fifth within just two turbulent years, signaling a government unraveling under internal discord and a paralyzed parliament.
According to French and international media, Lecornu’s exit followed fierce political infighting within Macron’s centrist camp, an eroding parliamentary majority, and mounting public outrage over a cabinet that critics said offered “no change, no hope.”
Lecornu—once hailed as Macron’s protégé and loyal reformer—struggled to consolidate support across France’s fragmented political landscape. Repeated failures to pass key legislative measures, coupled with a looming no-confidence vote, reportedly forced his preemptive resignation to avoid a humiliating ouster.
The resignation sent shockwaves through financial markets—the euro dipped against the dollar, and French stock indices tumbled sharply, reflecting investor anxiety over the country’s growing political paralysis ahead of a crucial national budget vote.
Political analysts across Europe warned that Macron’s government, once seen as a symbol of stability in the EU, now faces an existential test. “France is entering a zone of prolonged uncertainty,” wrote one Paris commentator. “If Macron cannot rebuild consensus quickly, his presidency risks becoming synonymous with fragmentation and drift.”
Meanwhile, diplomatic observers noted that the upheaval comes at a delicate time, as France’s influence in **Middle Eastern diplomacy—including its strained relations with Israel—**remains under scrutiny. Macron’s government, already criticized for its inconsistent stance on Israel’s right to self-defense, may now find itself distracted and weakened on the international stage.
As France’s fifth prime minister in two years bows out, Macron must scramble to restore credibility both at home and abroad—before the republic’s political machinery grinds to a halt.
