PARIS, Oct 7 (Reuters) — France has spiraled deeper into political chaos after Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu abruptly resigned on Tuesday, just hours after unveiling his new cabinet—marking the shortest tenure for any government in modern French history. The sudden collapse has shaken investors, rattled public confidence and exposed fault lines in President Emmanuel Macron’s political strategy.
Inside the Élysée Palace, aides scrambled to arrange emergency talks among party leaders. Macron tasked Lecornu with mediating a coalition deal to salvage a functioning government, but that plan is already under question. Bond yields jumped and French futures slid in early trading, reflecting growing fears over fiscal stability.
For ordinary Parisians, the drama feels dangerously familiar. “We keep changing prime ministers, but nothing changes for us,” said Isabelle Fournier, 45, a teacher in the city’s 11th arrondissement. “We’re tired—tired of uncertainty, of parties fighting, of promises broken.”
Technocrats in the finance ministry warn that France may breach European Union budget rules again. With the deficit already more than double the EU’s 3 percent ceiling, rating agencies have flagged French debt as “uninvestable.”
This latest collapse is hardly an isolated case. France has now cycled through five prime ministers since 2024, an indicator of deep instability that threatens to erode the Macron presidency. Analysts say Macron’s centrist ambition has left him vulnerable to shifting alliances and fractious politics.
International leaders reacted quickly. The European Commission urged Paris to restore governance and fiscal discipline. Several heads of state expressed concern the turmoil could spill into the eurozone.
Meanwhile, the French opposition has called for snap elections. In a televised address, Marine Le Pen warned, “France is stumbling toward paralysis. It is time for the people to choose anew.” Macron has so far resisted that call.
In the national assembly, voices rang out accusing the government of failing the public. One MP shouted during a session, “How is it legitimate to govern when you cannot even name your ministers without them resigning?”
The clock is ticking. Macron’s leeway is shrinking as economic pressures mount. With global markets volatile and the eurozone watching, France cannot afford another misstep.
Across Paris, hope is giving way to apprehension. The cafés on Rue Saint-Denis saw fewer faces today; the usual hum of debate and laughter dimmed. At Gare du Nord, commuters asked each other, “Who’s running France today?”
For many, the sense is that France is fractured. The world sees a country in limbo. And until leaders can thread a coalition that lasts, this drama won’t end.
Source: Reuters
