Unexpected Departure Creates Political Vacuum

The newly appointed Prime Minister of France, Sébastien Lecornu, submitted his resignation to the country's President, Emmanuel Macron, who accepted it, the Élysée Palace announced this Monday. Appointed on September 9th, the head of government becomes the shortest-serving Prime Minister in the history of the French Fifth Republic, established in 1958.

Lecornu, who had served as Minister of Defense for the past three years, became the fifth prime minister since Macron began his second term in 2022. He was appointed by the president following the resignation of François Bayrou, who lost a vote of confidence in the National Assembly amid the ongoing political crisis in the country.

Criticism and a Swift Exit

The Prime Minister faced criticism from the opposition and the right wing after revealing part of his cabinet on Sunday night, which was composed largely of former ministers and close allies of President Macron. He was scheduled to deliver a general policy statement before the Assembly this Tuesday. Instead, by leaving Matignon 27 days after his appointment, his tenure is now historically brief.

As of now, no new appointment has been made for the position of French head of government. Lecornu himself is expected to deliver a speech from Matignon later today.

Deepening Political and Economic Uncertainty

According to several analyst forecasts, France finds itself in an "economic limbo," without a budget and possibly without a government in the short term. Following the 2024 legislative elections, President Emmanuel Macron lost control of Parliament and governs with a minority executive. During his term, he has appointed and accepted the resignations of a series of prime ministers who have failed to effectively confront the opposition and the nation's political volatility. Macron's decision to call an early parliamentary election last year deepened the crisis, leaving a parliament even more fragmented.

Lecornu's resignation was unexpected and unprecedented, marking a significant worsening of the political crisis in France. French stocks fell sharply following the news of the resignation, as did the euro.