French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has stepped down just 27 days after taking office, failing to stabilize the nation amid a deepening political crisis. His resignation came on October 6 — less than a day after the formation of the new French cabinet, reports Baltimore Chronicle citing France24.
The composition of Lecornu’s cabinet immediately drew criticism from across the political spectrum. The decision to appoint former Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire as the new Defense Minister sparked particular outrage. Moreover, the nomination of Roland Lescure — a close ally of President Emmanuel Macron — as Finance Minister led to a 0.7% decline in French stock market indicators.
Despite expectations of sweeping government changes, most key ministerial positions remained unchanged. Even Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, a conservative who retained his post, publicly criticized the new government lineup.
Lecornu was expected to attend a meeting with Macron and his ministers at the Élysée Palace, but it was revealed the following morning that the president had accepted his resignation. This makes Lecornu the seventh prime minister to serve under Macron and the fifth since the start of the president’s second term in 2022.
The outgoing premier also entered the history books with several unprecedented records. Lecornu became the French prime minister with the shortest tenure — just 27 days — while the formation of his cabinet took the longest, lasting 26 days. His government also held power for the shortest time in the country’s modern history — only 12 hours after its official announcement. He was also the only French prime minister to leave office without ever delivering a general political address.
Earlier we wrote that Lithuanian culture minister Ignatas Adomavičius resigns over Crimea scandal.
