The Reasons Behind the French PM Resigned Following Just 27 Days – and What Could Happen Next

France's prime minister, the country's leader, has resigned along with his government, less than a month following his appointment and within moments after unveiling his ministers, dramatically deepening the country's governmental turmoil.

It is another surprising turn following recent incidents indicating that France, the EU’s second-biggest member state, is becoming increasingly ungovernable. Here is a look at what just happened, why – and future possibilities.

What Just Happened?

The prime minister, after less than a month in office, submitted his departure and that of his government this week, barely 12 hours after the key members of his cabinet had been announced. This made him the briefest-serving PM in modern French history.

The 39-year-old, former defence minister, aligned with the president, served as the fifth PM after Macron's second term and the third post-parliament dissolution triggering snap polls conducted months ago.

Lecornu blamed political rigidity, stating he was “willing to negotiate, yet all factions demanded every other party to adopt its full programme.” He noted it “not take much for it to work,” but “ideological stubbornness” and “certain egos” stood in the way, he said.

His departure alarmed markets, as the CAC 40 fell 2% and the euro declined 0.7%. France’s debt-to-GDP ratio is the EU’s third-highest behind Greece and Italy, nearly double the 60% permitted under EU rules – similar to its projected budget deficit of nearly 6%.

Underlying Causes

The roots of the crisis stem from last year's sudden polls, that resulted in a hung parliament divided between three nearly equal factions: left-wing groups, the far right & Macron’s own centre-right alliance, none nearing a majority.

The economic downturn has only added to that instability, along with presidential elections due in 2027. The president is term-limited, as parties position themselves ahead of elections, compromise in the assembly is increasingly elusive.

He encountered the tough job of passing an austerity budget in a fractured parliament aimed at reining in the large fiscal gap – a challenge that ousted the previous two PMs, removed by lawmakers for similar efforts.

The final catalyst for his resignation seems to be the reaction of the centre-right Les Républicains regarding the ministerial team. They claimed the largely unchanged lineup failed to represent the “profound break” from previous approaches that Lecornu had promised.

Revealing key ministries last Sunday prompted fierce criticism from all sides, with allies and opponents denouncing it for being too conservative or insufficiently so, and endangering its stability.

The return of Bruno Le Maire, Macron’s economy minister for seven years, as defense head particularly enraged politicians across factions, who saw it as a confirmation that Macron’s pro-business economic policies were not up for discussion.

Future Scenarios

Nationalist parties led by Le Pen and Bardella urged the president to disband the assembly and hold fresh elections, while the radical left France Unbowed has reiterated longstanding calls for the president himself to step down.

The president faces three choices, all hazardous and none very appealing. Initially, he could name a new prime minister. A figure from within his own camp seems improbable, and a centrist left candidate would challenge his hard-won pension reform.

Alternatively, selecting a staunch conservative would infuriate the left bloc. Due to urgent requirements to secure some agreement for approving annual spending, experts propose he might consider a non-party political technocrat.

Second, he could dissolve the national assembly and call fresh legislative elections, a move he has consistently said he is reluctant to do and which polls suggest could yield another split result – or bring nationalists to power.

The last choice is stepping down, but again, he has repeatedly ruled out standing aside before the presidential election in 2027 – an election viewed as pivotal in French politics, with Le Pen sensing her best ever chance of taking power.