French President Emmanuel Macron encountered further political turmoil when his fifth prime minister, Sebastien Lecornu, resigned after his cabinet lasted only 14 hours.
The resignation followed Lecornu's appointment three and a half weeks ago as Macron's last attempt to form a stable government.
Bodyguards trailed Macron as he walked alone by the Seine in a black overcoat on a chilly autumn morning.
This solitary figure evoked comparisons to Charles de Gaulle seeking solace after his own resignation.
Macron remains president until 2027, but the repeated prime ministerial failures heighten risks to completing his term.
He granted Lecornu two additional days for negotiations with opposition parties to avert deeper crisis.
Options like fresh elections could empower the far right, while Macron has dismissed his own resignation.
Domestic isolation grows as allies distance themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Nearly half of French people attribute the crisis to Macron, with 51% viewing his resignation as a potential solution.
The crisis stems from last year's snap legislative vote, yielding a hung parliament divided into three blocs.
Macron relied on minority cabinets from conservatives and centrists to safeguard economic reforms like tax cuts and pension changes.
These governments faltered on deficit reduction amid investor worries over France's finances.
Two prior premiers resigned over fiscal failures, yet a common platform persisted until recent rebellions.
Conservative leader Bruno Retailleau publicly criticized Lecornu's cabinet shortly after its announcement.
The dispute involved Lecornu's nomination of former finance minister Bruno Le Maire for defense, opposed by conservatives.
Le Maire stepped aside, but the conservatives withdrew support, triggering the collapse.
Macron hopes to reengage conservatives, though alternatives like a left-leaning premier face resistance over policy demands.
Pressure persists, with far-right leader Marine Le Pen calling for parliamentary dissolution.
Her party leads polls, capitalizing on the center's weakening amid protest votes.
Calls for Macron's resignation, once marginal, now gain mainstream traction from figures like Cannes mayor David Lisnard.
The center-right alliance fractures as associates avoid ties to the unpopular president.
Centrists murmur discontent, and former prime minister Gabriel Attal maintains distance.
This signals the potential end of Macron's political era, with stable governance increasingly elusive.