France Faces Political Crisis as Prime Minister Resigns
France’s political landscape has been thrown into disarray following the resignation of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu on Monday, just one day after unveiling his new cabinet. This abrupt departure marks a significant escalation in a political crisis that has seen five different prime ministers in less than two years. The instability stems from a lack of clear majority control in the National Assembly, the country’s parliament, after President Emmanuel Macron called for snap elections in 2022.
Lecornu’s resignation reflects the deepening political paralysis that has gripped the nation since the elections, which left no single party with an outright majority. In his resignation speech, Lecornu expressed frustration at the political impasse, stating, “The political parties continue to adopt a posture as if they all had an absolute majority in the National Assembly.” He added that each party’s unwillingness to compromise has left him in a difficult position.
In response to Lecornu’s resignation, Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally (RN), has called for new snap parliamentary elections. Le Pen’s party has gained traction in recent years, securing numerous seats in the fractured parliament. “There is no solution, there won’t be one tomorrow: I call on the President of the Republic to dissolve the National Assembly,” she declared in a social media post.
Lecornu, who held the prime ministerial position for less than a month, now holds the record as the shortest-serving prime minister in the history of the Fifth French Republic. His government faced insurmountable challenges, including mounting pressure from far-right and far-left parties following Macron’s decision to call early elections, which proved unsuccessful for his centrist coalition.
The political turmoil has been exacerbated by a national debt crisis and a rising budget deficit that have undermined confidence in France’s economy. In September 2023, Lecornu’s predecessor, François Bayrou, was ousted through a no-confidence vote after failing to advance a budget plan aimed at reducing public spending. This failure underscores the difficulties faced by successive administrations in navigating the complex political landscape.
Economic concerns have been further amplified by widespread protests against proposed austerity measures in the upcoming budget for 2026. In recent weeks, thousands of demonstrators—including students, trade unions, and retirees—have taken to the streets in over 200 towns and cities, demanding higher taxes on the wealthy and denouncing the government’s spending cuts.
Adding to the gravity of the situation, the U.S. credit ratings agency Fitch Ratings downgraded France’s credit rating last month, citing “increased fragmentation and polarization of domestic politics” as well as a deterioration in public finances. This move raises significant concerns about France’s financial stability and its standing within the European Union.
As the political crisis unfolds, the future of France’s governance remains uncertain. The call for new elections by Le Pen indicates a potential shift in the political landscape, with the far-right party poised to play a more influential role in shaping the nation’s direction. The ongoing struggle for power highlights the challenges facing Macron and his administration in restoring stability and addressing the pressing economic issues facing the country.
