France’s government has been thrown into renewed turmoil after yet another Prime Minister, Sébastien Lacornu, resigned within weeks of taking office. His departure follows a string of failed leaders unable to pass a budget through the National Assembly, leaving President Emmanuel Macron politically cornered. Since losing his majority in 2022, Macron has relied on Article 49.3 to push laws through, provoking protests, no-confidence votes, and repeated deadlocks. Snap elections in 2024 worsened fragmentation, with gains for both the far left and far right. In a move that underscores both his lack of options and the depth of the crisis, Macron reappointed Lacornu despite the resignation, an act that signals paralysis as much as continuity. With just 18 months until the presidential election, the opposition has no incentive to compromise, making France appear nearly ungovernable. For Berlin, instability in Paris is more than domestic drama. Germany relies on the Franco-German axis to drive EU reforms, manage eurozone stability, and align on defense and industrial policy.
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