French PM Quits Hours After Naming Government, Giving Macron Headaches

France’s new Prime Minister Sébastien 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 and leaving President Emmanuel Macron with few options, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

Lecornu had replaced his predecessor, François Bayrou, in September to become France’s fourth prime minister in barely a year. (Photo: Ecole polytechnique Université Paris-Saclay Wikimedia Commons)

The French presidency said in a statement Monday that Macron, who has been hitting record lows in opinion polls, accepted Lecornu’s resignation.

Lecornu had replaced his predecessor, François Bayrou, in September to become France’s fourth prime minister in barely a year, amid a prolonged period of political instability.

French politics have been in disarray since Macron called snap elections last year that produced a deeply fragmented legislature and a political impasse.

Far-right and left-wing lawmakers now hold more than 320 seats in the National Assembly, while centrists and allied conservatives hold 210 — leaving no party with an outright majority.

A close ally of Macron, Lecornu said the conditions were “no longer met” for him to remain in office after failing to build a governing consensus.

“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.”