Former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe has urged President Emmanuel Macron to appoint a new prime minister capable of steering through an upcoming budget and to consider calling for early presidential elections to address the current political crisis in France.
This advice comes on the heels of the resignation of Sébastien Lecornu, Macron's third prime minister within a year, who left after his government formation efforts collapsed. Philippe emphasized that while he does not support an abrupt resignation from Macron, it's crucial for the president to honor his mandate.
As political instability grows, Gabriel Attal, another of Macron's allies, expressed his confusion over the president's recent decisions, suggesting a need for collaboration with other political factions. Until this point, most pressure for Macron’s resignation has come from opposition parties, but discontent is now spilling into his own camp.
Macron's presidency has faced unprecedented challenges since he assumed office in 2017, including losing his parliamentary majority and struggling to manage the country's ballooning public debt. The political environment has worsened, leading to increasing public dissatisfaction; a recent survey indicated that 53% of respondents believed Macron should resign.
Philippe described the ongoing crisis as detrimental to the authority of the state, asserting that Macron should prioritize finding a political solution and serving the institutions of France rather than manipulating them for personal gain.
As talks of political maneuvers continue, the urgency for stability in the French government becomes clearer, underscoring the fragility of Macron's administration in the face of persistent challenges.
