PARIS: France plunged into fresh political chaos on Monday after newly appointed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and his cabinet resigned just 14 hours after taking office, the shortest-lived administration in modern French history. The abrupt collapse underscored mounting instability at the heart of President Emmanuel Macron’s government and sent shockwaves through financial markets.
The surprise resignation came amid mounting threats from both allies and opposition factions to topple the government. Lecornu, citing an impossible environment to govern, announced his departure soon after revealing his cabinet lineup. The euro and French stocks fell sharply in response, with the CAC 40 index closing as Europe’s worst performer of the day.
President Macron, who has yet to make a public statement, faces growing pressure from all sides. Opposition leaders, including Marine Le Pen of the National Rally and Mathilde Panot of France Unbowed, demanded that Macron either resign or call new parliamentary elections. “The farce must end,” Le Pen declared, while Panot warned that “the countdown has begun.”
Lecornu, Macron’s fifth prime minister in just two years, lasted only 27 days in office, with his government surviving less than a day. The turmoil highlights the deep divisions within France’s fragmented parliament, where no single bloc commands a majority. Macron’s previous attempt to resolve the gridlock by calling snap elections last year only worsened the stalemate.
Analysts say France now faces its most serious political crisis since the founding of the Fifth Republic in 1958. The Lecornu government’s fall follows months of unrest over spending cuts, pension reforms, and rising public debt, now at 113.9% of GDP. Investors are watching closely as France’s deficit nears double the EU’s 3% ceiling.
In Paris, citizens expressed frustration and disbelief. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” said 79-year-old retiree Gérard Duseteu. “It’s embarrassing to be French right now.” Many echoed calls for a return to the ballot box to restore legitimacy and stability.
With Macron’s term running until May 2027, options remain limited. He could appoint another technocrat or caretaker government, but consensus appears elusive. For now, France, the eurozone’s second-largest economy faces deep uncertainty over its political direction and credibility on the global stage.
— Elizabeth Luis | WNN International Bureau
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