PARIS – France's government imploded on Monday as Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced his resignation just hours after unveiling his new cabinet, a stunning move that marks the shortest, most disastrous premiership in modern French history and pushes the nation deeper into political paralysis.
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| French outgoing Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, who presented his government's resignation to the French president this morning, delivers a statement at the Hotel Matignon in Paris, France, October 6, 2025. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe/Pool - Stephane Mahe/Reuters |
Lecornu, a key ally of the embattled President Emmanuel Macron, steps down after less than four weeks in office, a humiliating record for the Fifth Republic. His departure is the most definitive sign yet that Macron has run out of road, unable to build a stable majority in a fractured parliament and having now burned through five prime ministers in under two years. The crisis leaves the president cornered, the government inoperative, and the country increasingly ungovernable.
The immediate catalyst for the collapse was the cabinet Lecornu announced Sunday night. After weeks of delicate negotiations intended to build a broad coalition, the final lineup was immediately condemned by all sides of the political spectrum. Critics blasted it as a continuation of the status quo, with a majority of ministers hailing from Macron's centrist party and no representation at all from the powerful left-wing or far-right blocs.
The backlash was swift and fatal. In his resignation speech, a defiant Lecornu blamed the intransigence of other parties for the government's collapse. "You cannot be prime minister when the conditions are simply not there," he said, accusing his political rivals of acting as if they each held a majority.
He lamented that a lack of humility and "certain egos" had stood in the way of a workable government. "There were many red lines on the lips of some," Lecornu stated, but "rarely any green lines."
His own overtures, including a promise to stop using the controversial Article 49.3 of the French Constitution to force legislation through without a vote, were deemed insufficient.
A Unified Wall of Opposition
The criticism came from all corners, including from within his own proposed government. Bruno Retailleau, leader of the center-right Republicans who was slated to remain Interior Minister, delivered a scathing rebuke. "The composition of the government does not reflect the promised change," he posted on X, shattering any hope of a right-wing alliance.
The far-right, which made significant gains in the last election, echoed the sentiment. "We were clear with the prime minister: it's either change or a no-confidence vote," declared Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally party, who squarely blamed Macron for the failure and called for the dissolution of parliament.
Marine Le Pen, the figurehead of the French far-right, was even more blunt. "We are at the end of the road... the end of the joke," she said Monday.
The left was equally furious. "This ephemeral government shows one thing: Macronism is once again plunging the country into chaos," announced Arthur Delaporte, a spokesperson for the Socialist Party. Particular outrage was directed at the reappointment of Bruno Le Maire, the former Finance Minister who oversaw soaring national deficits, to Lecornu's old post as head of the Ministry of Defense.
Macron Cornered, Nation in Limbo
The political implosion had an immediate economic impact. The Paris stock exchange dropped 1.7% at its opening on Monday morning amid growing uncertainty. The timing could not be worse, as a large portion of France's critical national budget was scheduled for ministerial approval on Tuesday—a deadline that is now impossible to meet.
Lecornu's resignation is the culmination of a crisis that has been brewing since the inconclusive 2024 legislative elections left no single party with an absolute majority. It reflects a deep public frustration with Macron's agenda and a widespread perception of a president detached from the daily realities of French citizens.
President Macron now finds himself with desperately few options:
Call Snap Elections: The most likely, though politically risky, option is to dissolve parliament and call for new legislative elections, hoping the public will deliver a clearer mandate.
Resign: A more drastic move would be for Macron himself to resign, triggering a new presidential election.
Appoint Another PM: A final, almost inconceivable option would be to appoint a sixth prime minister, this time from an opposition party, in a last-ditch effort to form a unity government.
After so many failed attempts at building alliances, it is unclear if any political leader has the credibility or willingness to try again. For now, France finds itself in a dangerous limbo, with a lame-duck president, a non-existent government, and no clear path forward.
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