The French PM Resigns Following Less Than a Month Amid Broad Backlash of New Ministers

France's political turmoil has deepened after the freshly installed PM unexpectedly quit within a short time of announcing a cabinet.

Swift Resignation During Government Turmoil

The prime minister was the third PM in a year-long span, as the country continued to stumble from one government turmoil to another. He quit a short time before his first cabinet meeting on the beginning of the workweek. Macron approved the prime minister's resignation on Monday morning.

Strong Criticism Over New Government

The prime minister had faced intense backlash from rival parties when he announced a fresh cabinet that was largely similar since last month's ousting of his preceding leader, his predecessor.

The proposed new government was controlled by Macron's supporters, leaving the cabinet mostly identical.

Rival Reaction

Opposition parties said the prime minister had stepped back on the "major shift" with past politics that he had vowed when he assumed office from the disliked former PM, who was dismissed on 9 September over a suggested financial restrictions.

Future Political Direction

The question now is whether the national leader will decide to end the current assembly and call another snap election.

Jordan Bardella, the head of the far-right leader's far-right National Rally party, said: "There cannot be a return to stability without a return to the ballot box and the legislature's dismissal."

He added, "Evidently Emmanuel Macron who determined this administration himself. He has understood nothing of the present conditions we are in."

Vote Demands

The National Rally has demanded another election, believing they can increase their representation and influence in the assembly.

France has gone through a period of instability and political crisis since the centrist Macron called an inconclusive snap election last year. The assembly remains split between the main groups: the liberal wing, the conservative wing and the moderate faction, with no definitive control.

Financial Pressure

A spending package for next year must be approved within coming days, even though government factions are at loggerheads and Lecornu's tenure ended in under four weeks.

Opposition Vote

Parties from the left to far right were to hold discussions on Monday to decide whether or not to vote to remove the prime minister in a opposition challenge, and it seemed that the cabinet would fail before it had even begun operating. The prime minister reportedly decided to leave before he could be dismissed.

Ministerial Positions

Nearly all of the big government posts announced on the night before remained the same, including Gérald Darmanin as justice minister and the culture minister as arts department head.

The responsibility of economic policy head, which is vital as a divided parliament struggles to approve a spending package, went to Roland Lescure, a Macron ally who had earlier worked as economic sector leader at the start of the president's latest mandate.

Unexpected Appointment

In a surprise move, Bruno Le Maire, a government partner who had worked as economy minister for seven years of his term, returned to cabinet as defence minister. This enraged leaders across the political divide, who considered it a indication that there would be no questioning or modification of the president's economic policies.