Post by : Rameen Ariff

France’s President Emmanuel Macron accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Monday, just hours after Lecornu unveiled his new cabinet. The sudden resignation has further intensified political deadlock in the European nation. Lecornu, a former defence minister, was appointed by Macron last month to lead the government.

The cabinet Lecornu presented late on Sunday faced immediate criticism from across the political spectrum. The largely unchanged team struggled to gain support in a deeply divided parliament, especially for an austerity budget for the upcoming year. Lecornu’s challenge echoed the difficulties faced by his two immediate predecessors, Francois Bayrou and Michel Barnier, who were removed by the legislative chamber due to disputes over government spending plans.

France’s public debt has reached record levels, with official data last week showing the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio as the third highest in the European Union after Greece and Italy. The ratio is nearly double the 60 percent ceiling allowed under EU rules. Previous governments had passed the last three annual budgets without parliamentary votes, a constitutional provision that was heavily criticised by opposition parties. In contrast, Lecornu had pledged to allow lawmakers to vote on the new budget.

Since Macron’s gamble on snap parliamentary elections last year, the government has been mired in political deadlock. The elections were intended to strengthen Macron’s authority but instead left his supportive bloc in the assembly in the minority. Lecornu’s resignation now raises questions about how France will manage its financial challenges and political instability in the coming months.

#world news #Global News