Political Crisis Deepens as Macron Faces Calls for Power Sharing and Early Elections

Amid ongoing political turmoil in France, President Emmanuel Macron is under intensified criticism for his leadership approach and is facing calls both to share political power more broadly and to consider early elections. This development follows recent dissolutions and political upheaval that have shaken the National Assembly.

Gabriel Attal, Secretary General of Renaissance and former Prime Minister, publicly criticized Macron's handling of political affairs in an interview on France 2. Attal expressed concern over Macron's apparent fixation on maintaining control instead of fostering collaboration, particularly ahead of a meeting at the Élysée Palace that notably excluded the National Rally (RN) and La France Insoumise (LFI). He underscored that appointing a Prime Minister closely aligned with the President hampers constructive discussions with opposition parties. Attal warned about the instability caused by appointing leaders without prior consensus, emphasizing the need to focus on substantive agreements before leadership appointments, advocating for power-sharing and a conciliatory political environment (ID 94739).

On another front, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of LFI, called for a new dissolution of the National Assembly or an early presidential election, placing responsibility for the political chaos squarely on the Élysée. Mélenchon criticized Macron's recent political meetings as ineffective, labeling them "conciliabules" and decrying the exclusion of his party from these discussions. He asserted that LFI deputies were elected specifically to oppose Macron's policies and not to collaborate with him or the far-right RN. Mélenchon stressed the legitimacy of demanding Macron's departure and noted that former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe has also suggested a similar path. He urged leftist parties in the Nouveau Front populaire to unite around their successful 2024 platform to confront the current crisis (ID 94827).

These developments highlight a mounting political crisis as Macron's strategy encounters growing resistance from both centrist allies urging power sharing and staunch opponents demanding his early exit. The President’s forthcoming decisions, especially regarding the selection of a new Prime Minister and engagement with opposition forces, will be pivotal as France navigates this turbulent period.