France's Michel Barnier, whose government was ousted in Wednesday's no-confidence vote, will be France's shortest-lived prime minister unless reappointed by President Emmanuel Macron.
The oldest at 73 of the Fifth Republic's 26 prime ministers when he was named by Macron in 2024, the conservative stayed in his post only 90 days. He was one of only six prime ministers to remain in their post for less than a year since the start of the Fifth Republic in 1958.
The below graph details the longevity of France's governments and their political leaning since the beginning of the Republic in 1958.
Gaullist Georges Pompidou, who succeeded France's first prime minister Michel Debré in 1962, was the longest-serving head of government, at six years, two months and 26 days.
He had a rocky start, being the only prime minister before Barnier to be ousted by a no-confidence vote by the Assemblée Nationale, less than six months into his stint in October 1962.
However, he was reappointed by President Charles de Gaulle after his party's election victory a month later and went on to become the only prime minister to stay in place for more than five years. He went on to become president in 1969, one of only two prime ministers along with right-winger Jacques Chirac in 1995 to make the step up.
Socialist Bernard Cazeneuve, President François Hollande's last prime minister, only served for five months and four days (155 days) in 2016-17 and had before Barnier the shortest stay in the premier's Matignon residence.
However, he had known from the outset that his would be a short stay, as Hollande had decided not to seek a second term.
Centrist Gabriel Attal stayed for six months and seven days (189 days) before his government resigned on July 16, 2024, following an election defeat. However, as outgoing prime minister he clocked up the record stint of 51 days in a caretaker capacity.
At 34, Attal was the youngest-ever prime minister when he was named by Macron on January 9, 2024.
Socialist Edith Cresson was France's first woman prime minister, from 1991-1992, but had the fourth-shortest stint, leading the government for 10 months and 18 days (323 days) under the second seven-year presidency of François Mitterrand.
She was asked to stand down after having achieved record levels of unpopularity for a premier and after losses for the Socialists at the polls.
It would take another 30 years before another woman – former labor minister Elisabeth Borne, the choice of centrist Macron – was appointed to the role.
Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version.