Paris [France], October 6 (ANI): France’s Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu resigned Monday, just hours after presenting his new cabinet, deepening the country’s political uncertainty.
Appointed by President Emmanuel Macron last month, Lecornu had previously served as defense minister. He unveiled his cabinet late Sunday, but the lineup—which included few changes from previous governments—drew sharp criticism from opposition leaders and parliamentarians.
National Rally leader Jordan Bardella responded to Lecornu’s resignation, stating, “There can be no return to stability without a return to the polls and the dissolution of the National Assembly.”
Lecornu faced the immediate challenge of securing parliamentary approval for an austerity budget for next year. France is grappling with record-high public debt, with official data showing the debt-to-GDP ratio as the third highest in the European Union, after Greece and Italy. The figure is now close to double the 60 percent ceiling allowed under EU rules, France 24 reported. Both of Lecornu’s predecessors, Francois Bayrou and Michel Barnier, were forced out after clashing with lawmakers over the spending plan.
In recent years, Macron’s governments have used constitutional provisions to pass three consecutive budgets without a parliamentary vote—a move legally permissible but widely criticized by the opposition. Lecornu, however, had pledged last week not to rely on this route, instead allowing lawmakers to vote on the bill.
His resignation comes amid continuing political gridlock in France. Far-right three-time presidential candidate Marine Le Pen called for snap parliamentary elections following Lecornu’s departure. “A dissolution [of parliament] is absolutely necessary,” Le Pen said, as quoted by France 24. National Rally President Jordan Bardella also urged President Macron to dissolve the National Assembly in the wake of the resignation. (ANI)
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