French PM Lecornu resigns after less than a month in office

France’s President Emmanuel Macron on Monday accepted Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s resignation just hours after unveiling his cabinet, the presidency said, plunging the European nation further into political deadlock.

France’s President Emmanuel Macron named Lecornu, a former defence minister, to the post last month.

But the largely unchanged cabinet he unveiled late on Sunday to work with Lecornu sparked fierce criticism across the political spectrum.

Lecornu had faced the daunting task of finding approval in a deeply divided parliament for an austerity budget for next year.

Lecornu’s two immediate predecessors, Francois Bayrou and Michel Barnier, were ousted by the legislative chamber in a stand-off over the spending plan.

France’s public debt has reached a record high, official data showed last week.