French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has resigned less than a month into his tenure, just hours after unveiling his new cabinet lineup. French President Emmanuel Macron accepted his resignation, confirming the unexpected and unprecedented departure amid mounting political instability in the country.
Lecornu, 39, who was appointed on September 9, 2025, became the seventh prime minister under Macron’s presidency and the fifth in the last two years.
His new government faced immediate and widespread criticism from both political allies and opponents, with some accusing the lineup of being either too right-wing or not right-wing enough, leading to threats to topple the administration.
The resignation deepens France’s ongoing political crisis, characterized by a fragmented parliament where no single party holds an absolute majority. Macron’s snap elections in 2024 resulted in this deadlock, complicating governance and budget approval efforts.
Financial markets reacted sharply to the news, with the French CAC 40 index dropping 1.5%, led by significant sell-offs in major banks like Societe Generale, BNP Paribas, and Credit Agricole.
The French political opposition, including the far-right National Rally, has called for immediate parliamentary elections, criticizing the government’s inability to form a stable coalition.
Lecornu cited political factionalism and the difficulty of finding common ground among parties as reasons for his resignation. His brief administration marks one of the shortest in modern French history, symbolizing the challenging political landscape Macron currently faces.
The unexpected resignation raises questions about France’s political direction and heralds a period of continued uncertainty ahead of efforts to address the nation’s fiscal and social challenges.
