French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, who unexpectedly resigned last week only to be reappointed four days later, hastily assembled a new cabinet for Emmanuel Macron to approve just hours before the president departed for the Gaza peace summit. However, few anticipate Macron will return from Egypt with a solution to the worsening domestic political crisis he oversees. Even fewer have confidence in a government so obedient to Macron that it can withstand the upcoming scrutiny of the National Assembly.
This is not a typical parliamentary crisis but a systemic one. The governing structure set up by the Fifth Republic in 1958, inspired by Charles de Gaulle’s vision of a dominant executive with quasi-monarchical presidential authority, has ceased to function. Faced with a hung parliament, a severe fiscal crisis, and an unstable international situation, the French state is at a standstill.
The core issues lie in the nature of the presidency and the current president’s political strategy. After a defeat in the June 2024 European elections, Macron dissolved parliament and called snap elections, recklessly gambling that the far-right, then surging in the polls, would not come to power.
Contrary to expectations, a quickly formed left-wing coalition and tactical voting blocked Marine Le Pen’s National Rally. Yet no single group secured enough seats in the fragmented parliament to govern alone. Macron ignored democratic norms and parliamentary realities, rejecting the center-left’s argument that it deserved a chance to form a government. Instead, he appointed conservative and centrist prime ministers to lead minority administrations, none of which could solve the intricate political puzzle.
It is difficult to see how Lecornu, a close Macron ally, can pass a national budget where his predecessors Michel Barnier and Francois Bayrou failed, making new legislative elections seem unavoidable. Calls for Macron’s resignation are growing louder and are no longer limited to radical groups, with two former prime ministers joining the criticism last week. Still, an early presidential election is improbable, as Macron is not required to leave the Élysée before his term ends in 2027 and has pledged to serve it out.
Eventually, he will have to face the voters again, which could strengthen the far-right National Rally but likely produce another hung parliament. The Fifth Republic’s stability relies on respect for the popular will and a clear majority, but it was never designed to encourage—and even discourages—the coalition governments common elsewhere in Europe. The regime may be in its final stages, with its decline beginning soon after Macron took office.
Macron’s 2017 victory, while remarkable, was largely due to the collective failure of a political generation that emerged in the late 1970s. Led by Nicolas Sarkozy on the right and François Hollande on the left, this group lacked the historical insight and intellectual weight of De Gaulle or François Mitterrand. Amid financial globalization and social upheaval, they failed to address voters’ concerns effectively. Hollande’s presidency was particularly troubled, marked by the eurozone debt crisis and a series of terror attacks.
Hollande left the nation grieving and questioning its values and purpose. Politically weakened, he did not seek re-election, leaving the Socialists to nominate a candidate in his place.A weak candidate and a divided left created an opportunity. Meanwhile, Sarkozy’s successors picked another corrupt politician as their standard-bearer, only to see his campaign fall apart. Amid a political scene further shaken by various forms of populism, Macron, then just 39, recognized and cleverly seized the opening. He let large segments of a disillusioned public project their hopes onto his relatively unknown profile. As most voters rejected the traditional mainstream parties of the right and left, his candidacy became the untested vessel for a range of political frustrations. In the runoff, Le Pen was no match for his skills, and Macron won.
Soon, however, the transformative leader many had hoped for turned out to be just another young man with outdated ideas. Within weeks, he embraced the pomp of his position and began governing in a top-down, micromanaging style ill-suited to a restless and worried nation. His supply-side, trickle-down economics enabled rent-seekers to thrive while harming the broader economy.
Protected by the constitution from political pressures, Macron became the divisive product of France’s presidential system. Few democratic systems seem so designed to twist legitimate political ambitions into narcissistic personality disorders. Starting with the “gilets jaunes” (yellow vests) crisis, as the government failed to address public worries, Macron repeatedly dismissed innovative representative tools and civil society groups. In 2022, the invasion of Ukraine and a fragmented opposition allowed him once more to frame the election around negative choices. Another face-off with Le Pen helped him unite voters chiefly concerned about democracy.
Now, Macron himself bears the brunt of the nation’s anger. He may well drag his government and the broken system down with him.
Pierre Purseigle is a French historian at the University of Warwick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Frances political situation framed around the analysis that it represents a deepseated constitutional crisis with clear and concise answers
BeginnerLevel Questions The Basics
1 What does it mean when we say France is in a constitutional crisis
It means the countrys fundamental rules and political institutions are struggling to function as they were designed leading to a deadlock where its unclear how to resolve major national issues
2 What is the main cause of the current political turmoil in France
The immediate cause is a hung parliament where no single political party or bloc won a clear majority in the recent elections This makes forming a stable government that can pass laws extremely difficult
3 Who is Pierre Purseigle and why is his opinion important
Pierre Purseigle is a professor and expert on French politics and history His analysis is important because he argues the current gridlock isnt just a temporary political fight but a sign of a much deeper failure in the French political system
4 What is a hung parliament
A hung parliament is when no political party or preelection alliance wins more than half of the seats This forces rival parties to try to work together which in Frances currently divided climate has proven nearly impossible
5 How is this different from normal political disagreements
Normal disagreements happen within a functioning system A constitutional crisis suggests the system itself is breaking down with no clear path forward for basic governance like approving a budget
IntermediateLevel Questions The Mechanics Impact
6 What specific part of the French constitution is causing the problem
The issue isnt one specific clause but how the entire systema powerful President and a parliament that must support the governmentclashes when the Presidents party doesnt control parliament This creates a cohabitation that is now gridlocked
7 What are the realworld consequences for French people
This can lead to government paralysis where important decisions on the economy public services and security are delayed It creates uncertainty that can affect jobs investment and social stability
8 Why cant the parties just compromise and form a coalition government
The main parties are deeply ideologically opposed on core issues like immigration economic policy and Frances role in Europe The farleft and farright see each other
