French politics are in a new phase: Newly appointed Prime Minister Sebastien Le Corneille has resigned just 26 days after taking office, becoming France’s shortest-serving prime minister.
President Emmanuel Macron, facing the most difficult challenge of his presidency, has asked Le Corneille to stay in office for another 48 hours to try to find a path to stability. Le Corneille has promised to say by Wednesday whether such a solution is possible or not.
“I was ready to make concessions, but each party demanded that the other accept its entire program,” he said, accusing the political forces of “egoism.”
Le Corneille’s resignation is another blow to President Macron: he is the third prime minister in the past year to resign after failing to form a stable government.
The Guardian writes that the French president now has two options: appoint a new prime minister who can pass the budget, or dissolve the National Assembly and call new elections, which he has so far avoided, fearing a possible victory of the far right.
Opposition forces are already demanding new presidential or parliamentary elections.
Marine Le Pen has called on Macron to “act wisely” and resign. Jordan Bardella, the leader of the “National Union”, declared: “There will be no stability without a new vote.”
And the leaders of the left have openly declared: “The reckoning has begun, Macron must go.”
Now, with France facing a budget crisis and political deadlock, the country is waiting for Macron’s next move. He has promised not to resign until 2027, but the pressure is growing day by day.
