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The nation's PM Lecornu has stepped down, under 24 hours after his government team was presented.

The presidential office confirmed the news after Lecornu met Macron for an hour on the start of the week.

This shock move comes only 26 days after Lecornu was given the PM role following the dissolution of the prior administration of François Bayrou.

Parties across the board in the National Assembly had sharply condemned the structure of Lecornu's cabinet, which was very close to the previous one, and threatened to vote it down.

Calls for Snap Polls and Government Unrest

Multiple political groups are now calling for new parliamentary polls, with others urging the President to also leave office - although he has consistently affirmed he will not leave before his time in office finishes in the year 2027.

"Macron needs to decide: dissolution of parliament or resignation," said Chenu, one of prominent members of the far right National Rally (RN).

Lecornu - the previous military head and a Macron loyalist - was France's fifth prime minister in less than 24 months.

Background of Political Turmoil

France's political landscape has been very volatile since last summer, when snap parliamentary elections resulted in a deadlocked assembly.

This has posed obstacles for any prime minister to secure enough backing to pass any bills.

The previous administration was defeated in September after lawmakers declined to support his fiscal tightening package, which aimed to slash government spending by 44 billion euros.

Economic Pressures and Stock Reaction

The French shortfall stood at 5.8% of GDP in 2024 and its public debt is more than the total economic output.

That is the third largest government debt in the eurozone after two southern European nations, and equivalent to almost 50k euros for each resident.

Markets declined in the Paris exchange after the news of Lecornu's resignation emerged on the start of the week.