French Prime Minister resigns after less than a month in office

"PARIS Facing criticism from all sides, France's new prime minister Sebastien Lecornu resigned less than 24 hours after naming his government and after less than a month in office, plunging the country into a deep political crisis. The French presidency said in a statement Monday that President Emmanuel Macron has accepted his resignation. Lecornu had replaced his predecessor Francois Bayrou to become France's fourth prime minister in barely a year."

""It would take little for it to work," Lecornu said in his resignation speech. "By being more selfless for many, by knowing how to show humility. One must always put one's country before one's party." Macron's opponents immediately tried to capitalize on the shocking resignation, with the far-right National Rally calling on him to either call for new snap elections or resign. "This raises a question for the President of the Republic: can he continue to resist the legislature dissolution? We have reached the end of the road," far-right leader Marine Le Pen said. "There is no other solution. The only wise course of action in these circumstances is to return to the polls.""

"On the far left, France Unbowed also asked for Macron's departure. The resignation rattled investors, sending the CAC-40 index of leading French companies plunging. The index was down by nearly 2% on its Friday close. Ministers appointed just the previous night found themselves in the bizarre situation of becoming caretaker ministers kept in place only to manage day-to-day affairs until a new government is formed before some of them had even been formally installed in office. Agnes Pannier-Runacher, the newly reappointed minister for ecology, posted on X: "I despair of this circus." Lecornu's choice of ministers has been criticized across the political spectrum, particularly his decision to bring back former Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire to serve at the defense ministry, with critics saying that under"

Sebastien Lecornu resigned as prime minister less than 24 hours after naming his government and after under a month in office, creating a political crisis. President Emmanuel Macron accepted the resignation. Lecornu had been the fourth prime minister within a year. Lecornu urged selflessness and humility and said one must put country before party. The far right demanded snap elections or Macron's resignation, while the far left also called for Macron to depart. Financial markets fell and the CAC-40 dropped nearly 2%. Newly appointed ministers became caretakers, and ministerial choices drew broad criticism.

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