France’s Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, has stepped down after serving less than a month in office. The Elysée Palace confirmed that President Emmanuel Macron accepted his resignation.
Lecornu’s abrupt and unexpected exit came just hours after he unveiled his new cabinet lineup on Sunday. The announcement sparked immediate backlash from across the political spectrum, with critics arguing that the new government was either too right-leaning or not conservative enough. Some lawmakers even threatened to bring down the government.
The new cabinet had been set to hold its first meeting on Monday afternoon.
Lecornu, 39, a close ally of Macron, was appointed prime minister on September 9. He was the seventh person to hold the position under Macron’s leadership and the fifth in the past two years.
His resignation intensifies France’s ongoing political turmoil, as the country continues to face a divided parliament with no single faction holding a majority.
The political uncertainty quickly rippled through financial markets. The CAC 40 index fell by 1.5%, led by sharp declines in major banks such as Societe Generale, BNP Paribas, and Credit Agricole. The euro also weakened against the pound and the dollar, while French bond yields rose to levels seen during the previous political standoff.
Amid the growing instability, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the far-left France Unbowed party, called for President Macron’s impeachment.
