French President Emmanuel Macron is under escalating pressure to call early parliamentary elections or resign as his political allies join opponents in demanding action to resolve a deepening crisis in France. The turmoil, described as one of the most severe in decades, has left the government unable to pass a budget and paralyzed by division.
Former prime minister Édouard Philippe, once a close Macron ally, urged the president to step aside or announce an early presidential vote once the 2026 budget is approved. He warned that prolonging the current instability would severely damage the nation’s political and economic standing. Gabriel Attal, another former prime minister, also criticized Macron’s leadership, saying his insistence on maintaining control has brought France to a standstill.
The crisis intensified after Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and his newly formed cabinet resigned just 28 days after their appointment. Macron asked Lecornu to hold emergency talks with political leaders in hopes of finding a governing majority, but the far-right National Rally refused to participate, calling the process self-serving.
France’s political deadlock stems from the 2024 parliamentary elections, which produced a divided legislature split among the left, right, and Macron’s centrist bloc. The stalemate has undermined governance, with mounting economic challenges including one of the EU’s highest debt ratios and a widening budget deficit.
Although Macron has ruled out resigning, he hinted that new elections may be inevitable if Lecornu’s final efforts fail. Both his supporters and opponents, including far-right leader Jordan Bardella, now agree that only the French electorate can resolve the impasse through new polls.