President Emmanuel Macron has given resigning Prime Minister Lecornu 48 hours to try one last time to resolve the political crisis, and Lecornu has accepted the task. “I will let Macron know on Wednesday evening whether something is possible or not so that he can draw the right conclusions,” he said.
In a written statement, the president spoke of “final negotiations with a view to stability for the country.” The statement and Lecornu’s response followed a meeting between the two on Monday night.
Political crisis deepens
Lecornu announced his resignation after less than a month in office. He had only Sunday night named the ministerial posts of his cabinet, a move that prompted heavy criticism and threats of a vote of no confidence from opposition parties.
Lecornu said he could no longer continue because of divisions in parliament. His possible departure pushes France further into a political crisis.
He is the fifth prime minister in two years. Before him, Michel Barnier and François Bayrou, among others, were voted out as prime minister because of their austerity plans.
If Lecornu does not produce a way forward, Macron could try again to find another prime minister or could call a general election; opposition parties called for elections immediately after the resignation.
Macron previously called legislative elections in 2024 in an attempt to end the political deadlock, but that backfired for him. Some politicians have said Macron himself should resign.
Macron’s mandate runs until May 2027 and he has repeatedly indicated he has no intention of leaving earlier.
