🔗 Share this article

Ex-prime minister Philippe, a one-time ally of the president, has expressed his support for snap presidential polls considering the gravity of the political crisis shaking the republic.

The comments by the former PM, a leading center-right contender to follow Emmanuel Macron, came as the outgoing PM, Sébastien Lecornu, started a last-ditch attempt to muster multi-party endorsement for a new cabinet to rescue France out of its deepening political deadlock.

Urgency is critical, he told the media. We are not going to prolong what we have been facing for the past several months. Another 18 months is unacceptable and it is damaging the country. The political game we are playing today is alarming.

His remarks were echoed by Bardella, the leader of the nationalist National Rally, who earlier this week stated he, too, favored firstly a dissolution of parliament, subsequently parliamentary elections or snap presidential polls.

The president has requested Sébastien Lecornu, who tendered his resignation on Monday only 27 days after he was named and 14 hours after his fresh government was unveiled, to continue for a brief period to seek to salvage the government and plan a way out from the situation.

Emmanuel Macron has indicated he is ready to assume his responsibilities in case of failure, sources at the presidential palace have told French media, a comment widely interpreted as meaning he would call snap parliamentary elections.

Rising Unrest Among Macron's Allies

Indications also emerged of rising discontent within Macron's own ranks, with Attal, another former prime minister, who heads the Macron's party, declaring on the start of the week he could not comprehend Macron's decisions and it was the moment for a different strategy.

Lecornu, who stepped down after opposition parties and supporters as well denounced his government for failing to represent enough of a change from past administrations, was meeting party leaders from early in the day at his residence in an bid to breach the deadlock.

Background of the Political Struggle

The French Republic has been in a national instability for since last year since Emmanuel Macron announced a early poll in the previous year that produced a deadlocked assembly divided between 3 roughly comparable factions: socialist groups, nationalist factions and the president's coalition, with no dominant group.

Lecornu earned the title of the shortest-lived prime minister in contemporary France when he stepped down, the country's fifth premier since Macron's re-election and the 3rd since the legislative disbandment of last year.

Upcoming Polls and Fiscal Issues

All parties are establishing their stances before presidential polls set for the next election cycle that are anticipated to be a pivotal moment in French politics, with the National Rally under its leader believing its greatest opportunity of gaining control.

Moreover, developing against a deepening economic turmoil. The country's debt ratio is the EU's third-highest after Greece and Italy, almost double the maximum permitted under European regulations – as is its estimated government deficit of almost six percent.