By Emmanuel Kwada
France’s political crisis deepened on Monday as President Emmanuel Macron accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, mere hours after the former defence minister unveiled his cabinet. The abrupt exit, confirmed by the presidency, has thrown the nation into further uncertainty, exacerbating an already fraught political landscape.
Lecornu, appointed last month to replace ousted predecessors Francois Bayrou and Michel Barnier, faced immediate backlash over his largely unchanged cabinet, announced late Sunday. Critics across the political spectrum slammed the lineup, accusing it of failing to address France’s mounting challenges, including a record-high public debt and a contentious austerity budget for 2026.
Official data released last week revealed France’s debt-to-GDP ratio as the third highest in the European Union, trailing only Greece and Italy, and nearly double the EU’s 60 percent threshold. Lecornu had pledged to secure parliamentary approval for the budget, a daunting task in a deeply divided legislature. His predecessors’ attempts to pass spending plans were thwarted, with both Bayrou and Barnier ousted in standoffs over fiscal policy. Previous governments had resorted to constitutional measures to bypass votes on the last three budgets, a tactic that fueled opposition outrage.
Macron’s decision to call snap parliamentary elections last year, intended to strengthen his authority, backfired spectacularly, leaving his centrist bloc as a minority in the National Assembly. Lecornu’s resignation marks the latest chapter in France’s ongoing political deadlock, with no clear path forward for forming a stable government.
As the nation grapples with economic strain and parliamentary gridlock, Macron faces mounting pressure to resolve the crisis. The question now is who, if anyone, can navigate France’s fractured political terrain to deliver stability.
AFP
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