The French PM Lecornu Tenders Resignation Following Less Than a 30-Day Period in Power
France's Prime Minister Lecornu has stepped down, under 24 hours after his ministers was unveiled.
The Elysée palace made the announcement after Lecornu met Macron for an 60-minute discussion on the start of the week.
This unexpected development comes only under four weeks after Lecornu was given the PM role following the downfall of the previous government of François Bayrou.
Political factions in the National Assembly had fiercely criticised the composition of Lecornu's cabinet, which was very close to Bayrou's, and threatened to vote it down.
Pressure for Snap Polls and Government Instability
A number of factions are now clamouring for early elections, with some urging Macron to resign too - although he has always said he will not stand down before his mandate concludes in 2027.
"The President needs to choose: calling new elections or leaving office," said Chenu, one of leading figures of the National Rally.
Lecornu - the previous military head and a supporter of Macron - was France's fifth prime minister in less than 24 months.
Context of Political Turmoil
French politics has been markedly turbulent since last summer, when early legislative polls resulted in a deadlocked assembly.
This has made it difficult for each PM to secure enough backing to enact new laws.
Bayrou's government was defeated in September after the assembly voted against his spending cuts plan, which aimed to slash government spending by €44bn.
Economic Pressures and Market Reaction
The French shortfall hit 5.8 percent of economic output in the current year and its public debt is 114 percent of GDP.
That is the third highest public debt in the European monetary union after Italy and Greece, and amounting to almost €50,000 per French citizen.
Share prices dropped in the Paris bourse after the resignation report was released on Monday.
