PARIS – France entered another period of shock and fatigue as Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned after only 26 days in office, the shortest stint of the Fifth Republic. His exit, announced hours after he presented a new cabinet, pushed Emmanuel Macron’s government into fresh turmoil.
It capped a year of stalemate that has stalled policy and worsened the country’s growing financial strain. With pressure mounting from both far left and far right, Marine Le Pen moved to rally support, casting the National Rally (RN) as the only path to stability.
Lecornu’s fall followed fierce rows over his ministerial choices and a parliament locked in stalemate. He took office in late September, replacing François Bayrou after a failed attempt to pass a divisive budget. A close Macron ally and former defence minister, Lecornu, promised a clean break.
He vowed not to use Article 49.3, the tool that forces laws through without a vote, and tried to build cross-party deals. His cabinet list on Sunday night backfired at once. The return of centrist figures, including the reappointment of Bruno Le Maire as defence minister, was condemned by both allies and opponents who saw no real change.
By Monday, the coalition had fallen apart. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, a centre-right Republican, said the picks lacked ambition. France Unbowed and the Socialists dismissed the cabinet as Macronism recycled. Lecornu said the conditions were not in place to do the job, citing party infighting and a hung parliament.
Possible Elections for France
Macron then asked the outgoing premier to lead talks until Wednesday evening to shape a platform for stability. If that fails, the president may name yet another prime minister, dissolve the National Assembly for snap elections, or, in the most extreme case, step down.
This was the third prime minister to go since December 2024, a direct result of Macron’s snap elections last summer. The vote split the chamber into three near-equal blocs: his centrist allies, a left alliance led by LFI, and Le Pen’s RN. The hung parliament has made governing near impossible, with repeated no-confidence votes over budgets and reforms.
RN president Jordan Bardella said Macronism was finished and pushed for dissolution or impeachment. Jean-Luc Mélenchon backed impeachment, while the Socialists pressed for a left-leaning prime minister.
The political deadlock sits on top of a hardening financial crunch. France’s public debt stands at €3.35 trillion, or 116% of GDP, lifted by post-pandemic support and energy aid after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Annual interest costs have climbed to €66 billion, more than the education or defence budgets. The 2024 deficit reached 5.8% of GDP, €168.6 billion.
Investors have taken fright at the churn in government. The 10-year yield has risen to 3.5%, higher than Greece and Spain, a sign of weakening confidence. The CAC 40 fell more than 2% after Lecornu’s shock exit. Moody’s cut France to Aa3 last December, citing debt risks.
The European Commission now sees 0.6% growth in 2025, with unemployment at 7.9% as cuts bite and uncertainty chills investment. Finance Minister Eric Lombard has even floated the idea of IMF support if the impasse continues.
The Rise of Marine Le Pen
Reuters warned that France is drifting into a mix of weak growth and higher borrowing costs. Planned fixes, €44 billion in cuts, tax rises, and talk of scrapping public holidays, have sparked strikes and protests under the Block Everything banner. Critics say Macron’s refusal to pick a clearly left or right prime minister locks in the gridlock, trapping the country in a loop of rising yields and widening deficits.
Marine Le Pen has gained from the chaos, despite legal trouble. She was convicted in March of misusing almost €5 million in EU funds and faces a five-year ban from public office.
That would keep her out of the 2027 race unless her appeal succeeds. She calls the judgment a political hit and says she will fight on. On Monday, she demanded snap polls, accused Macron of choosing the cabinet that sank Lecornu, and said RN can deliver order.
Polling puts RN near 30%, fuelled by anger over immigration, cost pressures, and mistrust of elites. Le Pen claims the tide is turning, and the numbers back her as Macron’s ratings sit below 30%. Analysts say the ban could even strengthen her movement, feeding RN’s anti-establishment brand. Paul Taylor of the European Policy Centre said she is the only clear winner, as the far right eyes another collapse to force Macron’s hand.
For many citizens, the spectacle borders on farce. Pensioners in Marseille worry about unpaid bills as subsidies come under threat. Factory workers in Lyon strike over jobs. One protester asked how many prime ministers it would take to pass a budget.
With Wednesday’s deadline close, Macron’s options are shrinking, and Le Pen’s influence is growing. France, once a steady anchor in Europe, now teeters on the edge, its future resting on whether compromise can beat chaos or whether the far right’s rise will reshape the republic.
