French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu Resigns Hours After Cabinet Announcement, Deepening Political Crisis

Emmanuel Macron appointed Sebastien Lecornu, who previously served as defense minister, to the Prime Minister position just last month.

Paris:

France's political crisis deepened on Monday as President Emmanuel Macron accepted Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu's resignation mere hours after the announcement of his new cabinet, according to the presidency. This development has further exacerbated the political deadlock in the European nation.

President Macron had selected Lecornu, formerly the defense minister, for the prime ministerial role only weeks ago.

The largely unmodified cabinet revealed late Sunday to work alongside Lecornu promptly triggered widespread criticism from across the political spectrum.

Lecornu faced the challenging responsibility of securing parliamentary approval for next year's austerity budget amid deep political divisions.

His two immediate predecessors, Francois Bayrou and Michel Barnier, were both removed by the legislative chamber during confrontations over the proposed spending plan.

Official data released last week revealed that France's public debt has reached unprecedented levels.

France now holds the third-highest debt-to-GDP ratio in the European Union, surpassed only by Greece and Italy, approaching nearly double the 60 percent permitted under EU regulations.

Previous administrations had forced through the last three annual budgets without a parliamentary vote, utilizing a constitutional provision that drew intense criticism from opposition parties.

However, Lecornu had committed last week to ensuring lawmakers would have the opportunity to vote on the legislation.

France has remained in political gridlock since Macron's risky decision to call snap parliamentary elections in mid-2024, hoping to strengthen his authority.

The strategy proved counterproductive, leaving Macron-aligned parties in a minority position within the assembly.