Sébastien Lecornu Resigns as French Prime Minister Amid Political Turmoil
Sébastien Lecornu steps down as Prime Minister, leaving France in political uncertainty with calls for a new government and possible early elections.
- • Sébastien Lecornu resigned as Prime Minister on October 8, 2025, with a new appointment expected within 48 hours.
- • The left-wing parties demand a left-wing Prime Minister, while right-wing factions call for early presidential elections.
- • Chinese analysts identify three possible outcomes: new PM appointment, parliamentary dissolution, or Macron's resignation, though Macron denies stepping down.
- • Lecornu emphasized that dissolving the National Assembly lacks majority support and insisted his mission was complete.
Key details
On October 8, 2025, Sébastien Lecornu announced his resignation as Prime Minister of France during an interview on France 2, signaling a deepening political crisis under President Emmanuel Macron. Following consultations at the Élysée Palace, it was confirmed that a new Prime Minister would be appointed within 48 hours. Lecornu cited that his mission was complete and stated he was not seeking to retain the position. He highlighted that a majority of deputies oppose dissolving the National Assembly and suggested there were possible paths for the government to adopt the budget by the end of December (92782).
The political fallout is significant, with left-wing parties, including the Socialist Party (PS) and the Ecologists, demanding the appointment of a left-wing Prime Minister to better represent their perspectives, especially on contentious issues like pension reform. PS deputy Boris Vallaud emphasized the need for their voices to be heard. Former President François Hollande also advised Macron to appoint a Prime Minister from outside the central political bloc to efficiently manage the pending budget challenges. Meanwhile, La France insoumise (LFI) has called for early presidential elections, contending that the current government lacks the capacity to address France’s pressing social and economic problems. On the right and far-right, politicians like Eric Ciotti and Jordan Bardella criticized Lecornu's resignation as a tactic to buy time for Macron and echoed calls for early elections (92782).
Internationally, Chinese media provided analysis on the crisis, noting three possible scenarios should the negotiations assigned to Lecornu fail: appointment of a new Prime Minister, dissolution of the National Assembly, or Macron’s own resignation. However, the latter is considered unlikely, as Macron has publicly ruled out resigning before the next presidential election. Analysts emphasize that appointing a new Prime Minister may not resolve the deadlock given Macron's unwillingness to alter his policies significantly or broaden the governing coalition. Dissolving Parliament could risk strengthening opposition parties, reflecting concerns about replicating last year's fractious legislative outcomes (92784).
As the political crisis unfolds, France awaits the naming of Lecornu’s successor and clarity on Macron’s strategic direction, amid mounting pressure from multiple factions demanding profound political change.
"My mission is complete. It’s not my ambition to maintain the Prime Minister position," Lecornu stated, underscoring the government's precarious position. He also noted that the parliamentary majority appears to oppose dissolving the Assembly, highlighting the complexity of the situation (92782).