By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu just hours after announcing his new cabinet, deepening the country’s political impasse.
Lecornu, who was appointed last month after serving as defense minister, faced widespread criticism for the largely unchanged lineup presented on Sunday.
He had been tasked with securing parliamentary approval for a strict austerity budget amid a deeply divided assembly.
His predecessors, Francois Bayrou and Michel Barnier, were both dismissed by lawmakers during similar disputes over spending plans.
France’s public debt has recently hit a record level. The nation’s debt-to-GDP ratio now ranks as the third-highest in the European Union, following Greece and Italy, and is nearly double the 60 percent ceiling established by EU rules.
In past years, governments passed the last three budgets without a parliamentary vote—a process allowed under the constitution but strongly criticized by opposition parties. Lecornu, however, pledged last week to let lawmakers vote on the upcoming budget.
The political deadlock stems from Macron’s gamble on early parliamentary elections last year, intended to strengthen his mandate. Instead, the move backfired, leaving his allied coalition without a majority in the assembly.