The Twenty-Six Day Ministry

Introduction

The announcement of Sébastien Lecornu's resignation as Prime Minister of France on the morning of the 6th of October 2025, confirmed by the Élysée Palace, was a political thunderclap that resonated across a nation already weary of governmental instability ^{18, 36}. Appointed on the 9th of September 2025, in the wake of the collapse of François Bayrou's administration, Lecornu's tenure was the shortest in the history of the Fifth Republic, a stark testament to the depth of the political impasse confronting President Emmanuel Macron ^{19, 22}. The immediate trigger for his departure was the overwhelmingly negative reception of his newly formed government, announced the preceding evening ^{6, 15}. The cabinet, largely a reshuffle of familiar faces, was widely perceived as a symbol of continuity rather than the promised "rupture" with the past, alienating both political allies and opponents ³⁹. This article will provide a comprehensive analysis of the factors that led to the precipitous fall of the Lecornu government, exploring the intricate web of political manoeuvring, ideological clashes, and institutional constraints that defined this brief but significant chapter in contemporary French politics. It will delve into the background of the crisis, the specific criticisms levelled against the ill-fated cabinet, and the wider implications of this event for the remainder of Emmanuel Macron's second term and the future of French democracy.

The Unravelling of Presidential Authority: A Prelude to the Lecornu Premiership

The roots of the crisis that culminated in Sébastien Lecornu's fleeting premiership can be traced back to President Macron's decision to call a snap legislative election in June 2024 ⁴. This high-stakes gamble, intended to secure a renewed mandate for his centrist agenda, instead resulted in a hung parliament, with no single political force commanding an absolute majority ⁴. The electorate delivered a fragmented National Assembly, divided between Macron's Ensemble coalition, the left-wing Nouveau Front Populaire, and the far-right Rassemblement National ⁴. This new political reality fundamentally altered the dynamics of power in France, significantly curtailing the President's ability to govern by decree and forcing him into a constant and often fruitless search for parliamentary alliances.

The period following the 2024 elections was marked by a succession of short-lived and unstable governments. The administration of Michel Barnier, a figure from the centre-right Les Républicains, was brought down by a motion of no confidence in December 2024 over its proposed social security financing bill ⁴. His successor, the veteran centrist François Bayrou, fared little better. His government was toppled in a confidence vote on the 8th of September 2025, after he attempted to push through an unpopular austerity budget aimed at reining in France's burgeoning public deficit ^{2, 3}. Bayrou's miscalculation in calling for a vote of confidence, a move intended to force the opposition's hand, instead provided his disparate political adversaries with a golden opportunity to unite against him ².

The fall of two successive governments in such a short span of time underscored the profound institutional crisis gripping the nation. The traditional mechanisms of the Fifth Republic, designed to ensure strong executive power, were proving inadequate in the face of a deeply divided legislature. President Macron, despite retaining significant constitutional powers in the realms of foreign policy and defence, found his domestic agenda paralysed ². The ongoing budgetary crisis further exacerbated the situation, with France's public debt reaching record levels and attracting the concerned scrutiny of international markets and European partners ^{3, 25}. It was against this backdrop of political fragmentation, governmental instability, and economic anxiety that Sébastien Lecornu, a loyalist of the President and a figure from the right wing of the Macronist camp, was appointed to the premiership on the 9th of September 2025 ¹⁴.

The Man for an Impossible Job? The Appointment of Sébastien Lecornu

Sébastien Lecornu, born in 1986, had a rapid ascent through the ranks of French politics ^{3, 4}. Initially a member of the mainstream right-wing party, the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), which later became Les Républicains, he aligned himself with Emmanuel Macron in 2017 ¹⁴. He subsequently held a series of ministerial portfolios, including Minister for Overseas Territories and, most recently, Minister of the Armed Forces ¹⁴. His political profile was that of a pragmatist, with strong roots in local government and a reputation for being a skilled negotiator ²⁸. His appointment as Prime Minister was seen by many as a strategic move by Macron to shore up support from the centre-right and to find a figure capable of forging the necessary parliamentary compromises to pass the contentious 2026 budget ⁴⁶.

Upon his appointment, Lecornu was tasked with a seemingly impossible mission: to build a stable governing majority in a parliament where no such majority existed ⁴⁶. He embarked on a series of consultations with the leaders of the various political forces represented in the National Assembly, in an attempt to find common ground ²⁴. However, the deep ideological divisions and the prevailing atmosphere of political mistrust made any prospect of a formal coalition government highly unlikely. The left-wing opposition, emboldened by its electoral performance, was adamant in its rejection of Macron's pro-business economic policies and demanded a significant shift in fiscal policy, including the taxation of high earners ⁵. The far-right, under the leadership of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, positioned itself as the principal opponent to the President, consistently calling for new elections ³⁵.

Lecornu's hopes for a stable government therefore rested on the fragile and often contradictory support of a "socle commun" (common base) of centrist and centre-right deputies. This informal alliance, however, was far from monolithic, encompassing a range of political sensibilities and personal ambitions. The success of his premiership would depend on his ability to hold this disparate coalition together while simultaneously negotiating with a hostile and fragmented opposition.

The Cabinet of Discord: A Government of Continuity, Not Rupture

The unveiling of Sébastien Lecornu's government on the evening of the 5th of October 2025 proved to be the fatal blow to his nascent premiership ⁴³. After weeks of anticipation and speculation, the new cabinet was met with a chorus of disapproval from across the political spectrum ^{15, 39}. The central criticism was its striking lack of renewal. Of the eighteen ministers appointed, a significant number were simply reappointed to their previous roles or moved to other senior positions ^{21, 37}. This continuity was seen as a direct contradiction of the "rupture" that Lecornu himself had promised upon taking office ³³.

The composition of the government appeared to be a reflection of the narrow political base upon which President Macron could draw, relying heavily on a small circle of loyalists. Key figures from the previous administration, such as Gérald Darmanin at the Ministry of Justice and Jean-Noël Barrot at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, retained their posts ⁴⁹. The decision to reappoint so many familiar faces was interpreted by many as a sign of the President's unwillingness or inability to broaden his political appeal and to acknowledge the message sent by the electorate in the 2024 legislative elections.

The most contentious appointment, however, was the return of Bruno Le Maire to a prominent cabinet position as Minister of the Armed Forces ^{27, 31}. Le Maire, who had served as Minister of the Economy and Finance for seven years, was a highly divisive figure, particularly on the right ²⁷. He was widely seen as the architect of the country's current budgetary woes, with his critics dubbing him the "man of 1,000 billion in debt" ²⁷. His inclusion in the government was a red line for many within Les Républicains, who viewed him as a symbol of the fiscal laxity of the Macron years.

The reaction from the opposition was swift and unforgiving. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of La France Insoumise, decried the new government as a "procession of ghosts" and immediately called for the impeachment of President Macron ^{12, 26}. Jordan Bardella, the president of the Rassemblement National, dismissed the cabinet as representing "the last Macronists clinging to the raft of the Medusa" and reiterated his call for the dissolution of the National Assembly ^{29, 35}. The Socialist Party, which had been engaged in tentative negotiations with Lecornu over the budget, also expressed its profound disappointment, with its leader, Olivier Faure, declaring that the "common base has totally imploded" ²¹.

The Republican Revolt: Bruno Retailleau's Pivotal Role

Perhaps the most significant and ultimately decisive opposition to the new government came not from the traditional opposition parties, but from within the ranks of the President's supposed allies. Bruno Retailleau, the leader of Les Républicains and a key figure in the "socle commun," had been reappointed as Minister of the Interior ⁴⁴. However, shortly after the announcement of the new cabinet, he issued a scathing public statement, declaring that the composition of the government "does not reflect the promised break" ^{31, 32}. He announced that he would convene an emergency meeting of his party's strategic committee to reconsider their participation in the government ¹³.

Retailleau's public denunciation of the government of which he was a senior member was a stunning act of political defiance and a clear indication of the deep divisions within the centre-right. His criticism was reportedly fuelled by the appointment of Bruno Le Maire, a move about which he had not been consulted, and by the perception that Les Républicains had been given insufficient weight in the new cabinet ^{20, 21}. The public spat between two of the government's most senior figures laid bare the fragility of the presidential coalition and the extent to which it was based on a series of uneasy and ultimately unsustainable compromises.

Other prominent figures from Les Républicains, such as Xavier Bertrand, the president of the Hauts-de-France region, also publicly called for their party to withdraw its support for the government ¹³. The prospect of a mass resignation of LR ministers and a formal withdrawal of their support in the National Assembly left Lecornu's government in an untenable position. Without the backing of Les Républicains, he would have no hope of commanding a majority in parliament and would be facing certain defeat in a vote of confidence.

The Inevitable End: Resignation and the Deepening Deadlock

Faced with a full-blown political crisis and the implosion of his parliamentary support base just hours after the formation of his government, Sébastien Lecornu had no viable alternative but to resign. On the morning of the 6th of October 2025, he met with President Macron at the Élysée Palace and formally tendered his resignation, which was accepted ^{2, 18}. His departure, after just twenty-six days in office, marked a new low point in the ongoing political crisis and left the country in a state of profound uncertainty ¹⁴.

The immediate aftermath of Lecornu's resignation was characterised by a fresh round of recriminations and calls for a radical change of course. The opposition parties reiterated their demands for the dissolution of the National Assembly and for President Macron to step down ^{12, 38}. The financial markets reacted nervously to the renewed political instability, with French stocks and the euro both falling ^{8, 11}. The country was once again without a functioning government, and the pressing issue of the 2026 budget remained unresolved ¹⁰.

President Macron was now faced with the daunting task of appointing a new Prime Minister, the eighth of his presidency, and attempting to form yet another government ²⁷. However, the fundamental political arithmetic of the National Assembly remained unchanged, and the prospects for any new administration to secure a stable majority appeared bleak. The crisis had exposed the deep-seated nature of the political deadlock in France and the growing disconnect between the executive and the legislature.

The End of an Era? The Future of Macron's Presidency and the Fifth Republic

The fleeting premiership of Sébastien Lecornu and the manner of its demise have profound implications for the remainder of Emmanuel Macron's presidency. The President's authority has been severely diminished, and his ability to enact his political agenda is now more constrained than ever. The repeated failure to form a stable government has exposed the limitations of his top-down, centralised style of leadership in a fragmented political landscape. The crisis has also highlighted the erosion of the traditional party system in France and the rise of a more volatile and unpredictable political environment.

The events of October 2025 have also reignited a debate about the future of the Fifth Republic itself. The current institutional arrangements, designed in 1958 to provide for a strong and stable executive, appear to be ill-suited to the realities of a multi-polar political system. The repeated cycles of governmental collapse and political paralysis have led some to question whether the Fifth Republic is still fit for purpose and to call for fundamental constitutional reform.

The path forward for France is fraught with uncertainty. The possibility of a new dissolution of the National Assembly and fresh legislative elections looms large, although there is no guarantee that a new ballot would produce a more decisive outcome ⁴². The country is facing a period of prolonged political instability, which could have serious consequences for its economic and social fabric. The crisis has laid bare the deep divisions within French society and the challenges of governing a nation that is increasingly polarised and resistant to top-down reform. The brief and ill-fated premiership of Sébastien Lecornu will be remembered as a stark illustration of the profound challenges facing France as it navigates a new and uncertain political era.