France in Political Crisis: Prime Minister’s Sudden Resignation Creates Government Gridlock
France has been plunged into a profound political crisis following the abrupt resignation of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, who now holds the record for the shortest tenure in modern French history. This move throws President Emmanuel Macron’s government into disarray, exposing the deep instability created by a hung parliament and raising urgent questions about the nation’s governance and fiscal future.
A Caretaker Government and a Deepening Crisis
Although he has stepped down, Lecornu has been tasked by President Macron with conducting “final negotiations” until Wednesday evening. In a statement on social media, Lecornu confirmed he would brief Macron on the viability of a resolution, after which the President would “draw all necessary conclusions.” Crucially, Lecornu has stated he will not return as Prime Minister even if the talks succeed, highlighting the immense pressure and intractable nature of the role in the current political climate.
This event marks a new peak in France’s ongoing political turmoil. Lecornu was Macron’s fifth prime minister since 2022 and the third since the snap parliamentary elections in 2024, which produced a fractured National Assembly. The legislature is divided among Macron’s centrist coalition, a left-wing alliance, and the far-right National Rally, with no group holding a clear majority, making effective governance nearly impossible.
Parliamentary Gridlock Meets Fiscal Peril
The political deadlock in the National Assembly comes at a time of severe economic pressure for France. The country is running a budget deficit nearing 6% of GDP, which is double the ceiling set by the European Union. Its debt levels remain among the highest in the bloc. Previous attempts to impose fiscal discipline and austerity measures were a key factor in unseating Lecornu’s two immediate predecessors, demonstrating the political toxicity of economic reform.
Lecornu’s brief premiership was also hampered by controversy from the start. His cabinet appointments, which featured many familiar political figures, were met with immediate public and political backlash. Opponents accused Macron of failing to deliver on promises of renewal and simply “recycling” old faces, further weakening the government’s credibility.
Macron’s Limited and Risky Paths Forward
With Lecornu’s resignation, all eyes are on President Macron and his next move. He faces a difficult set of options, each carrying significant political risk:
Appoint a New Prime Minister: The most straightforward option is to appoint another figure from his centrist ranks. However, any appointee would face the same hostile, gridlocked parliament. Alternatively, Macron could attempt a historic cross-party appointment, selecting a technocrat or a moderate from the left or right. Yet, a left-leaning PM would force him to abandon key reforms, while a right-leaning one could trigger a no-confidence vote from the left.
Dissolve the National Assembly: The President has the constitutional power to dissolve parliament and call new elections within 20 to 40 days. However, this is a massive gamble. The 2024 snap elections backfired spectacularly for Macron, and a new vote could simply reproduce the same fractured parliament or, worse, strengthen the far-right or far-left blocs.
Macron Resigns: Some opposition figures have called for Macron himself to step down, which would trigger a new presidential election. The President has firmly stated his intention to serve out his term until 2027, making this an unlikely scenario for now.
Presidential Impeachment: A more radical and untested path would be for parliament to pursue impeachment for a “breach of duty.” This process is procedurally complex and has never been successfully used, rendering it a highly improbable option.
Immediate Governance and the 2026 Budget Deadline
In the immediate term, the French government is operating in a weakened, caretaker mode, limited to managing day-to-day affairs without proposing new laws or major reforms.
The most pressing casualty of this crisis is the 2026 budget. Lecornu’s resignation nullified his government’s budget proposal, forcing a new administration to start from scratch. By constitutional law, a draft budget must be submitted by October 13 to allow for adequate parliamentary debate—a tight deadline that is now virtually impossible to meet. As a stopgap, parliament will likely have to pass a provisional measure to extend the previous year’s budget, a temporary fix that does nothing to address France’s underlying fiscal challenges.
France now stands at a critical crossroads. President Macron’s next move will be decisive, shaping not only the country’s immediate ability to govern but also its political and economic trajectory as the 2027 presidential election draws nearer.
