Paris: French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu resigned on Monday, only weeks after his appointment, marking one of the shortest-lived administrations in modern French history and heightening France’s political instability.
President Emmanuel Macron accepted Lecornu’s resignation hours after the prime minister unveiled his cabinet lineup, Euro News reported. Lecornu’s new government faced immediate criticism from both opposition parties and members of his own camp.
The controversy centred on the return of Bruno Le Maire, former Economy Minister from 2017 to 2024, now appointed as Defence Minister. Meanwhile, Roland Lescure became Economy Minister, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot retained his portfolio. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin, and Culture Minister Rachida Dati also continued in their posts. The new cabinet comprised 18 members, including 16 ministers and two ministers delegate.
National Rally (RN) leader Jordan Bardella criticised the cabinet on social media, calling it a “continuity” of the previous government. Mathilde Panot, president of the La France Insoumise parliamentary group, condemned Lecornu’s nomination as a “provocation,” accusing Macron of pursuing policies favouring the wealthy minority amid rising protests.
Lecornu, 39, had been named Prime Minister on September 9, following his tenure as French Defence Minister for over three years and as a close ally of Macron. In a social media message, Lecornu thanked Macron for his trust and praised outgoing PM Francois Bayrou for his “courage” in defending his convictions.
Macron’s appointment of Lecornu came a day after Bayrou and his cabinet were ousted in a parliamentary confidence vote over a proposal to reduce public spending, after which Bayrou tendered his resignation. Lecornu’s swift appointment had signalled Macron’s urgency to stabilise the political and economic situation, but the resignation of the new PM underscores ongoing turbulence in French politics.
With IANS inputs