French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has stepped down less than a month into his term, a move that risks further division within an already fractured government. Lecornu made his resignation public on Monday morning, and the decision was quickly .
This unexpected resignation follows less than 24 hours after and drew criticism from all political factions. The initial cabinet meeting had been slated for 4 p.m. local time on Monday.
, Lecornu, who was the to serve during Macron’s eight-year presidency, detailed the challenges he encountered in uniting the French government to agree on a national budget.
“It constantly feels like the goalposts shift every time we make progress,” stated Lecornu regarding discussions on crucial topics such as pensions, taxation, and unemployment statistics.
Lecornu, a confidant of Macron and affiliated with the President’s Renaissance party, indicated that his resignation stems from three primary problems.
He asserted a “deep rift” exists among parliamentarians, some of whom “decline to fulfill their parliamentary duties” during budget debates and subsequent amendment votes. He further accused government parties of persisting in “acting as if they each held an absolute majority in the National Assembly.” Lecornu added that the “resurgence of certain partisan ambitions” within the administration had hindered its operation.
In his statement, Lecornu confirmed his refusal to activate Article 49.3 of the , which enables the Prime Minister to enact legislation in the National Assembly, France’s lower chamber of Parliament, without requiring a vote.
TIME sought comment from the French government.
Notably, Lecornu was the sole minister to have served continuously since Macron’s initial election in 2017, underscoring the robust professional bond between him and the French President. Consequently, his departure has elicited responses spanning from surprise to bewilderment.
The recent cabinet reshuffle drew sharp criticism over the weekend. The Minister of Interior, a politician from the center-right Republican party, stated that the newly formed cabinet failed to deliver on Lecornu’s promised “break” in parliament, adding that he would convene with party members on Monday to discuss the “political circumstances arising from this announcement.”
The leader of the far-right National Rally party : “We had explicitly informed the Prime Minister: it’s either a rupture or a vote of no confidence. The government revealed this evening, composed of the remaining Macronists clinging to the Medusa’s raft, unequivocally represents continuity, devoid of the change the French populace anticipates.”
Following an inquiry into an extensive embezzlement scheme, Bardella and Marine Le Pen are now demanding an early general election subsequent to Lecornu’s resignation.
