France’s Prime Minister Resigns Less Than a Month in Office

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has resigned just 26 days after taking office and hours after naming his cabinet, plunging France deeper into political turmoil. Appointed less than a month ago, Lecornu struggled to pass a budget through a deeply divided parliament and faced mounting criticism over his cabinet selections.

“I was ready to compromise, but every party wanted the others to adopt its entire program,” Lecornu said after stepping down. Despite stepping down, President Emmanuel Macron asked Lecornu to lead talks with rival parties by Wednesday to seek a plan for stability. France’s parliament has been gridlocked since snap elections in 2024 produced no clear majority.

The president now faces three options: appoint a new prime minister, call fresh parliamentary elections, or resign, though the latter remains unlikely.

This resignation marks France’s fifth change in prime minister in less than two years, underscoring deep political divisions since Macron’s snap elections in July 2024.