Lecornu, a former defence minister, was appointed last month but faced sharp criticism over a largely unchanged cabinet lineup. He also confronted a divided parliament and the challenge of passing a contentious austerity budget.

France’s public debt recently hit a record high, with a debt-to-GDP ratio now the third highest in the EU, behind Greece and Italy, nearly double the 60 percent ceiling set by EU rules.

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Lecornu had pledged to allow a parliamentary vote on the budget, breaking from previous governments that bypassed votes using a constitutional mechanism heavily criticised by the opposition.

His two predecessors were forced out after clashing with lawmakers over spending plans. The political impasse began after Macron’s failed gamble on snap elections, which left his centrist bloc without a majority in the National Assembly.

Source: Punch