By Matt Underwood French PM Sebastien Lecornu has resigned. Let’s just get this straight: we’re talking about a Prime Minister whose tenure lasted a mere 17 hours. That’s right, a little over half a day. This isn’t just a short term; it’s practically a blink of an eye in political time, setting a new record – and not a particularly flattering one – for the shortest-lived government in French history. The previous record holder, from the Fourth Republic, managed to hang on for a whole three days. Lecornu barely made it through a single day before the whole thing imploded.
For some context, even Liz Truss, whose time as UK Prime Minister was widely ridiculed, enjoyed a significantly longer stint in office. Think of it this way: the time it takes to make a decent cup of coffee would have outlasted Lecornu’s government. Or, as the meme goes, a single lit cigarette would have lasted longer. This rapid turnover is frankly astonishing.
The immediate question is, what happened? Apparently, there was immediate and intense political and public backlash following the announcement of his cabinet. It seems the choices weren’t well-received, and the threat of being toppled became a reality almost instantly. He’d nominated his ministers on a Sunday, no less, which may have added to the surrealness of the whole situation. Some even pointed out that the country had been struggling with the absence of a stable majority and a legitimate government to represent France on the global stage.
Now, the obvious next question is: Why? What’s causing this constant churn? Is there something fundamentally broken in the French system that prevents stable governments from forming? Considering there have been three Prime Ministers since the start of the year, there’s clearly a deeper issue at play. It begs the question of whether the current political climate is too focused on preventing the far-right from gaining power, leading to instability and infighting amongst other political groups.
This situation has understandably led to a lot of dark humor. The comparisons to the Simpson’s “Grandpa walking in and out of the brothel” meme are spot-on. People are clearly flabbergasted, and for good reason. The entire scenario is a political circus, a “shit show” as someone put it. The idea of a government collapsing before it even really began is almost unbelievable. Some are wondering if it’s just “how France generally has been for hundreds of years.”
But what comes next? The obvious speculation is general elections, and whether President Macron will be forced to form an alliance to establish a government. Will he have to cozy up to the RN (National Rally), or explore other possibilities? This is the interesting part, and it’s the part that’s going to determine the future of French politics for the time being.
It’s also worth noting that public sentiment is a major contributing factor. Citizens are frustrated with the constant reshuffles and lack of improvement in their daily lives. Inflation, healthcare, housing, and other issues are still plaguing people while the political elite seem more focused on power struggles than real solutions. Public money being directed towards the wealthy is making the public even angrier. This fuels cynicism and makes each new government seem destined to fail.
There’s a lot of skepticism about what this means for the future. Some are already predicting a surge in support for the RN in the upcoming months. This would indicate a shift in the political landscape and could create a significant turning point in the political climate. The speed with which this government collapsed is unprecedented and makes anyone question the stability and cohesion of the current political framework.
There’s also the somewhat cynical observation that perhaps Lecornu saw the role as a quick CV boost, a way to say he *was* Prime Minister, even if it was for a comically short time. It’s a stark reminder of the volatile situation in France. And yet, he’s likely to be a world record holder in this regard. The situation is a mess, and France is dealing with the consequences of its political problems.
In the end, it’s a situation that is equal parts bewildering, amusing, and concerning. The rapid downfall of Lecornu’s government serves as a potent illustration of the instability that currently plagues French politics. Only time will tell how the situation will evolve.