France Plunged Into Political Turmoil as New Government Collapses Within Hours

    

                          Lecornu, who was only appointed last month, was Macron's fifth prime minister in two years. 
        

France has been thrown into fresh political chaos after Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and his newly appointed cabinet resigned just hours after being unveiled, marking the shortest-lived government in modern French history.

Lecornu, who had been in office for only 27 days, stepped down on Monday morning after fierce backlash from both allies and opponents over his cabinet lineup. The government, which lasted barely 14 hours, collapsed before holding its first official meeting.

In a brief statement, Lecornu admitted that “the conditions were not fulfilled” to carry out his role, blaming entrenched partisan divisions and opposition threats of a no-confidence vote.

The resignation is a major blow to President Emmanuel Macron, who has now seen multiple governments fall in quick succession amid a deeply fragmented parliament. The far-right National Rally immediately called for snap elections, while the left-wing France Unbowed demanded Macron himself step down.

The political instability rattled financial markets, with the Paris stock exchange dropping sharply and the euro weakening against major currencies.

With no clear majority in parliament and mounting pressure from across the political spectrum, France faces an uncertain path forward. Calls for new elections are growing louder, raising the prospect of yet another dramatic shift in the country’s leadership.