TRANSCRIPT:
If at times it has felt that Australia has a revolving door of prime ministers, this is nothing compared to the recent rapid turnover of leaders seen in France.
Since President Emmanuel Macron's re-election in April 2022, France has had five prime ministers.
With its fragmented parliament, inability to form stable coalitions and repeated cabinet crises, the country has experienced chronic government upheaval not seen in decades.
And with Sébastien Lecornu resigning after just 26 days, he has become the shortest-serving prime minister in the history of the Fifth Republic.
Mr Lecornu says he felt he had no choice but to step down.
"But one must always put their country before their party, and know how to listen to activists, but always think of the French people. Thank you all. I thank you."
Mr Lecornu resigned just hours after unveiling his cabinet line-up, amid threats from opposition factions and internal party conflicts.
President Macron, who only appointed the 39-year-old last month, hoped his ally would take the heat out of the domestic crisis and allow him to focus his efforts on the international stage, notably working with the United States to end Russia's war on Ukraine.
But Mr Lecornu says his position was untenable.
"This Monday morning, the conditions were no longer in place for me to carry out the duties of Prime Minister and allow the government to appear before the National Assembly tomorrow … The composition of the government was not smooth and awakened some partisan appetites — sometimes, quite legitimately, linked to the upcoming presidential election."
In another twist, Mr Macron met his resigned prime minister hours later, urging him to hold last-ditch talks with other political parties in the hope of restoring stability to the country.
Mr Lecornu pledged on X to hold these discussions then report back to the president.
Now, parties from both sides of French politics are demanding the French president call snap parliamentary elections — or quit altogether.
Marine Le Pen, of the ultra-conservative National Rally party, says it would be wise for Mr Macron to resign, or dissolve the parliament.
"I call on him to dissolve the National Assembly because we have reached the end of the road and there is no solution. There won't be any tomorrow. And therefore, the only wise decision in these circumstances, as provided for in the Constitution of the Fifth Republic, is to return to the ballot box and for the French people to give direction to the country.”
On the progressive side of politics, member of the Green Party Sandrine Rousseau describes the current crisis as a psychodrama.
"The question is, which season of the Netflix series are we actually watching? This is getting ridiculous. None of the words you said are in the Constitution, meaning that Sebastien Lecornu is either Prime Minister or he isn't, and in those cases we need another prime minister. There are no people tasked with finding platforms for stability or whatever. None of that exists; it's just a way to buy time and take back control for Emmanuel Macron, who, once again, is solely responsible for the crisis we're in."
So why is the French parliament so deeply divided?
Mr Lecornu has struggled as prime minister for two key reasons: controversy over his cabinet picks, and the political fallout from France’s worsening fiscal position.
His government has sparked outrage across party lines, mainly over the appointment of former finance minister Bruno Le Maire as defence minister — a move that angered the conservative Republicans, who view Le Maire as synonymous with Mr Macron’s economic agenda.
Mr Le Maire’s swift resignation was proof of the discontent.
At the same time, Mr Lecornu has faced an uphill battle pushing through an austerity budget in a fractured parliament.
With France’s debt-to-GDP ratio now among the highest in Europe after Greece and Italy, he has promised a proper parliamentary vote after years of bypassing one — a pledge that risks the same legislative standoff that brought down his predecessors.
The chaos comes ahead of the 2027 presidential elections that are expected to be a historic crossroads in French politics, with the French ultra-conservatives under Marine Le Pen sensing their best-ever chance of taking power.
Mr Macron has so far resisted calls for fresh parliamentary polls, and has ruled out resigning himself before his mandate ends in 2027.
Across France, people appear either bewildered or disillusioned, noting the recurring falls of recent French governments and the lack of variety in their composition.
Speaking on the streets of Paris, fashion worker Romain Rasse says many are over it.
"Yes, it's been a circus for several months, I think, but now we've reached a new level. I find it a lack of respect, almost, for people who are interested in politics, for people who expect solutions from it. There are many French people, I believe, who are in need, who are expecting things. Or maybe not even in need but who expect things from the people who govern them. And here we're at zero, below zero perhaps."
Others said they didn't know what to say, and were simply praying for some stability and the chance for France to save face.
