French PM resigns hours after naming government, plunging France further into political chaos

PARIS (AP) — France’s new prime minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned less than 24 hours after naming his government and after less than a month in office, plunging the country into a deep political crisis and leaving French President Emmanuel Macron with few options.

The French presidency said in a statement Monday that Macron, who has been hitting record lows in opinion polls, has accepted his resignation.

Lecornu had replaced his predecessor, François Bayrou, in September to become France’s fourth prime minister in barely a year during a prolonged period of political instability.

French politics have been in disarray since Macron called snap elections last year that produced a deeply fragmented legislature and a political impasse.

Far-right and left-wing lawmakers hold over 320 seats at the National Assembly, while the centrists and allied conservatives hold 210, with no party having an overall majority.

A faithful ally of Macron, Lecornu said conditions were no longer met to remain in office after failing to build a consensus.

“It would take little for it to work,” Lecornu said in his resignation speech.

“By being more selfless for many, by knowing how to show humility. One must always put one’s country before one’s party.”

With less than two years before the next presidential election, Macron’s opponents immediately tried to capitalize on the shocking resignation, with the far-right National Rally calling on him to either call for new snap parliamentary elections or resign.

“This raises a question for the President of the Republic: can he continue to resist the legislature dissolution? We have reached the end of the road,” far-right leader Marine Le Pen said. “There is no other solution. The only wise course of action in these circumstances is to return to the polls.”

On the far left, France Unbowed also asked for Macron’s departure, while voices on the left called for the revival of a coalition made up of leftists, socialists, greens and communists.

The resignation rattled investors, sending the CAC-40 index of leading French companies plunging. The index was down by nearly 2% on its Friday close.

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