Lecornu Resigns After Ally Withdrawal; Macron Seeks Talks

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu unexpectedly resigned Monday less than 24 hours after unveiling a new cabinet, making him the shortest‑serving prime minister in France’s Fifth Republic and plunging the government into renewed political turmoil. His exit followed the withdrawal of a key conservative coalition ally — reportedly over the appointment of Bruno Le Maire as defence minister — underscoring the fragility of President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist‑conservative alliance in a fragmented National Assembly. Macron accepted the resignation but asked Lecornu to remain caretaker and hold last‑ditch talks through Wednesday to present a stability plan. Lecornu said he would not use extraordinary constitutional powers to force a budget through, complicating efforts to pass spending cuts ahead of a mid‑October deadline. Opposition parties demanded either a change of government or snap parliamentary elections, while some within Macron’s camp raised concerns about repeated prime‑ministerial changes. Markets reacted sharply, with the CAC 40 and the euro falling and French government bond yields rising, intensifying worries about France’s finances amid prolonged parliamentary deadlock.