PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron is facing mounting pressure from within his own political ranks as former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe urged him to appoint a caretaker government and call early presidential elections to end France’s deepening political crisis.
The appeal follows the resignation of Sébastien Lecornu, the nation’s third prime minister in a year, after his attempt to form a stable government collapsed.
Macron, who has struggled to secure a parliamentary majority since last year’s snap legislative elections, now faces public dissent from close allies and plummeting approval ratings that reflect growing frustration among citizens and lawmakers alike.
The turmoil intensified Monday when Lecornu resigned just 26 days into the job, blaming “partisan appetites” for obstructing his coalition talks.
His departure leaves Macron’s centrist administration in disarray as it scrambles to pass a crucial budget aimed at addressing France’s 5.4% deficit to GDP ratio and stabilizing public finances.
Macron’s centrist bloc lost its parliamentary majority following his call for snap elections after a poor showing in last year’s European Parliament vote.
Since then, successive efforts to build a coalition government have faltered, and two prime ministers François Bayrou and Lecornu have resigned in quick succession after failing to secure parliamentary confidence.
Philippe, who served as Macron’s first prime minister from 2017 to 2020 and now leads the centrist Horizons party, said the president must “serve the institutions” by paving the way for an orderly transition.
“When you’re head of state, you don’t use the institutions, you serve them,” Philippe told RTL radio. “He should serve the institutions by finding a solution to this political crisis.”
Political analysts warn that Macron’s leadership is entering its most precarious phase since his election eight years ago.
“France is facing not just a government crisis, but a crisis of legitimacy,” said Dr. Claire Moreau, a political scientist at Sciences Po.
“When key allies publicly express doubt, it signals a fracture at the heart of the presidential majority. Macron’s authority has been severely weakened.”
According to Moreau, Macron’s options are limited. “Without a stable parliamentary base, passing the budget will be nearly impossible. Naming a technocratic prime minister might buy time, but the pressure for early elections is only going to intensify.”
Jean Luc Delorme, a Paris-based economist, noted that the political instability is spooking markets and undermining investor confidence. “France’s fiscal credibility is at stake,” Delorme said. “Delays in budget approval could affect credit ratings and worsen borrowing costs.”
Recent polling underscores Macron’s precarious position. A survey conducted for Le Figaro found that 53% of respondents believe he should step down before the end of his term. His approval rating has fallen below 30%, a steep decline from the 64% he enjoyed after his 2022 re-election.
By comparison, no French president since the Fifth Republic’s founding has faced three prime ministerial resignations within a single year.
The current budget impasse, driven by divisions over spending cuts, echoes earlier crises under former presidents François Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy but is compounded by Macron’s loss of a parliamentary majority.
France’s debt levels, exceeding 110% of GDP, and its persistent budget deficit have prompted calls from the European Commission for fiscal discipline.
Without parliamentary approval, the government may be forced to govern by decree a move likely to inflame tensions further.
On the streets of Paris, citizens voiced frustration with the ongoing political deadlock. “I voted for Macron because I believed in reform, but now it’s chaos,” said Camille Laurent, a 42 year old teacher from the 11th arrondissement. “It feels like the government is paralyzed while our cost of living keeps rising.”
Others called for institutional reform rather than a leadership change. “France needs a stronger coalition culture,” said Marc Dufresne, a retired civil servant in Lyon. “Blaming one man won’t fix the system.”
Protests have remained limited, but the mood in Paris is tense. On Tuesday morning, a van caught fire on the Rue de Varenne near the prime minister’s residence an incident commentators described as symbolic of the government’s woes.
Macron has tasked Lecornu with presenting a “last ditch” stability plan by Wednesday, though expectations are low. Should negotiations fail, the president could invoke constitutional powers to install a temporary government and pass the budget, but doing so risks deepening perceptions of executive overreach.
Gabriel Attal, head of Macron’s Renaissance party and a former prime minister, publicly questioned the president’s recent decisions. “We must try something else,” Attal said on national television. “It’s time to share power with other parties.”
Analysts believe Macron could emulate Charles de Gaulle’s 1969 precedent by stepping down early to restore legitimacy through fresh elections.
“If Macron calls early elections, it would be a high risk but potentially stabilizing move,” Moreau said. “Refusing to act could prolong paralysis and erode trust further.”
As France grapples with its third prime ministerial resignation in twelve months, the political crisis shows no signs of abating.
Allies turned critics, a fragmented parliament, and waning public confidence have cornered President Emmanuel Macron, leaving him with few viable paths to restore stability.
Whether through a caretaker government or early elections, the next steps will determine not only the fate of his presidency but also the trajectory of France’s political future.