Explosions were heard in central Paris on Tuesday near the French Prime Minister’s Office, just one day after Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced his resignation.
According to Le Parisien, witnesses reported hearing three explosions close to Hotel Matignon, where Lecornu had been scheduled to hold meetings following his resignation. Images from the scene show a van engulfed in flames as firefighters and emergency crews worked to extinguish the blaze.
Authorities confirmed that the fire was contained to the vehicle and did not spread to nearby buildings. The cause of the explosions and subsequent fire remains under investigation.
Lecornu resigned on Monday after only 27 days in office, marking the shortest tenure of any government in France’s Fifth Republic. The former defense minister had just appointed his cabinet members and was expected to deliver his general policy statement before the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Explaining his decision, Lecornu said, “The conditions were no longer met for me to exercise my functions and allow the government to appear before the National Assembly tomorrow.” He criticized political parties for “refusing to face the profound changes” and for relying on procedural excuses instead of engaging in parliamentary work.
Under Article 49.3 of the French Constitution, the government can pass legislation without a parliamentary vote — a mechanism that has often sparked political tension in France.
Authorities have not yet linked the explosions to Lecornu’s resignation, and investigations are ongoing.
Follow The Times Kuwait on
X, Instagram and Facebook for the latest news updates
