France’s new Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned Monday, just hours after appointing his cabinet, following threats from both allies and opponents to bring down his government.
His resignation was unexpected and unprecedented, marking another escalation in France’s deepening political crisis. French stocks fell sharply, and the euro weakened against the dollar on news of his departure.
After weeks of consultations with political parties across the spectrum, Lecornu — a close ally of President Emmanuel Macron — announced his ministerial appointments Sunday. The new cabinet had been due to hold its first meeting Monday afternoon.
But the lineup angered both supporters and rivals, who viewed it as either too right-wing or not conservative enough. The reaction raised fresh doubts about the government’s ability to survive amid the broader political gridlock in a parliament where no faction holds a majority.
Lecornu submitted his resignation to Macron on Monday morning.
“Mr. Sébastien Lecornu has submitted the resignation of his government to the President of the Republic, who has accepted it,” the Élysée Palace said in a statement.
Political instability has plagued France since Macron’s reelection in 2022, as no party or coalition has been able to secure a parliamentary majority. Macron’s decision to call a snap parliamentary election last year only deepened the crisis, producing an even more divided National Assembly.
Lecornu, appointed just last month, was Macron’s fifth prime minister in two years — underscoring the volatility at the heart of French politics as the president struggles to maintain control in his second term.