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The French Premier Lecornu has handed in his resignation, shortly after his government team was unveiled.

The presidential office issued a statement after the Prime Minister met the French President for an hour on the start of the week.

This surprising decision comes only under four weeks after he was named premier following the collapse of the previous government of his predecessor.

Parties across the board in the legislature had fiercely criticised the composition of his ministerial team, which was largely unchanged to Bayrou's, and threatened to vote it down.

Demands for Early Elections and Government Unrest

Several parties are now clamouring for a snap election, with others calling for the President to resign too - even though he has consistently affirmed he will not stand down before his time in office finishes in 2027.

"The President needs to choose: calling new elections or stepping down," said Sébastien Chenu, one of key representatives of the National Rally.

The outgoing PM - the former armed forces minister and a supporter of Macron - was France's fifth prime minister in less than 24 months.

Background of Government Crisis

French politics has been markedly turbulent since mid-2024, when snap parliamentary elections resulted in a no clear majority.

This has posed obstacles for any prime minister to garner the necessary support to approve legislation.

Bayrou's government was voted down in last month after parliament refused to back his austerity budget, which aimed to cut state costs by €44bn.

Financial Pressures and Stock Reaction

The nation's budget gap stood at 5.8 percent of economic output in the current year and its government debt is more than the total economic output.

That is the number three debt level in the euro area after Italy and Greece, and amounting to almost €50,000 per French citizen.

Markets declined in the French stock market after the announcement about the PM was released on Monday.