This week’s collapse of the French government – featuring the resignation of a prime minister after only 27 days in office – marks the latest twist in a protracted political crisis threatening to bring the powerful European economy to a halt as it grapples with unpopular budget measures, a deepening debt burden and stiff competition from the US and China.Former prime minister Sebastien Lecornu – now acting in a caretaker capacity after his Monday resignation set a modern record for briefness of...