French President Emmanuel Macron is under mounting pressure to call a snap parliamentary election or step down entirely, as France, the Eurozone’s second-largest economy, grapples with profound political instability. This crisis has already led to five Prime Ministerial resignations in less than two years.
The 47-year-old President, recently seen in deep contemplation by the River Seine, has consistently affirmed his commitment to serving his full second term, which concludes in 2027. However, the previously fringe calls for his resignation have now moved into mainstream political discourse, signaling one of the most challenging periods for France’s current system of government since its establishment in 1958.
On a recent Tuesday, as Sebastien Lecornu, Macron’s outgoing Prime Minister, engaged in last-ditch negotiations to form a new government, a significant voice from Macron’s past emerged. Edouard Philippe, who served as Macron’s first premier in 2017, publicly stated that it was time for a new President to resolve the stalemate.
Philippe, widely considered a strong contender to lead the political center in any future succession, urged, “He must now confront this governmental dereliction, make a decision befitting his office, and in my view, that means ensuring the continuity of our institutions by departing in an orderly fashion.” His statement, made on RTL radio, marks him as the second former Prime Minister of Macron to publicly distance himself in quick succession.
Adding to the chorus of criticism, Gabriel Attal, another former loyalist, expressed his disillusionment. Attal, who briefly served as Prime Minister last year before Macron’s decision to call a snap election resulted in a hung parliament with three opposing blocs, openly criticized the President’s actions.
“Like many French people, I no longer comprehend the President’s decisions,” Attal remarked on the TF1 news channel. This comment came after Macron, despite Lecornu’s freshly tendered resignation, asked him to re-engage with political opponents for urgent discussions.
Lecornu, whose 14-hour tenure represented the shortest in modern French history, was given a mere two days to achieve a consensus. His mandate included holding talks with leaders from Macron’s centrist alliance and conservative factions – a group dubbed the “common platform” – to explore the possibility of forming a new cabinet.
Crucially, securing the support of the Socialists will be vital for Lecornu to command the necessary majority in the National Assembly, particularly for the upcoming year’s budget approval. His resignation was sparked by fierce criticism surrounding the newly announced government’s composition on Sunday evening, which both adversaries and allies felt represented a continuation of existing policies rather than genuine change.
Bruno Retailleau, who leads the conservative Republicans party, clarified that his party had no intention of being absorbed into a broader Macron-led coalition but left the door open for potential governmental participation. Meanwhile, far-right leader Marine Le Pen, whose National Rally party currently leads in opinion polls, is strongly advocating for an immediate parliamentary election.
The escalating political turmoil has alarmed financial markets, with investors closely monitoring France’s capacity to address its widening budget deficit. French stocks experienced a 1.4% decline on Monday, and the risk premium on French government bonds reached a nine-month peak due to the ongoing crisis.
The public sentiment reflects this anxiety. Brigitte Gries, a 70-year-old pensioner in Paris, lamented, “It’s a mess. It makes you sad.” Similarly, Soufiane Mansour, a taxi driver from Montpellier, expressed his concern: “We’re becoming a bit of a laughing stock around the world right now. We’re a bit of a clown around the world and in Europe, unfortunately.”