Édouard Philippe Advocates Early Elections Amid France’s Political Stalemate
Édouard Philippe, former French prime minister and a onetime supporter of Emmanuel Macron, has expressed support for early presidential elections, citing the severity of the nation’s political turmoil.
Philippe, a prominent centre-right figure seen as a possible successor to Macron, made his remarks as outgoing prime minister Sébastien Lecornu sought cross-party backing for a new government to resolve the country’s escalating deadlock.
In an interview with RTL radio, Philippe clarified that he was not urging Macron to step down immediately but suggested the president should "declare his intention to organize an early presidential election" once next year’s budget is approved.
"The situation demands urgency," he said. "We cannot continue as we have over the past six months. Another 18 months would be disastrous for France. The current political maneuvering is deeply troubling."
His stance found alignment with the far-right National Rally (RN) leader Jordan Bardella, who on Tuesday also endorsed dissolving parliament, followed by either legislative or early presidential elections.
Macron has instructed Lecornu—who submitted his resignation just 27 days after taking office and 14 hours after announcing his cabinet—to remain in place for 48 hours to stabilize the administration and propose a way forward.
Officials at the Élysée Palace hinted that Macron is prepared to "take responsibility" should efforts fail, an admission some interpret as a willingness to call snap parliamentary elections.
Meanwhile, discontent within Macron’s camp appears to be growing. Gabriel Attal, another former prime minister and leader of Macron’s centrist party, stated late Monday that he no longer understood the president’s choices and believed it was "time for a different approach."
Lecornu, whose cabinet faced criticism from both opposition and allies for lacking substantial change from previous administrations, has been meeting with party leaders since early morning in hopes of breaking the current gridlock.
France has faced political instability for over a year since Macron’s 2024 snap election resulted in a fragmented parliament, split almost equally between the left, far-right, and Macron’s centrist coalition, with no clear majority.
Lecornu’s resignation marks him as the shortest-serving prime minister in modern French history, the fifth since Macron’s 2022 re-election and the third following last year’s parliamentary dissolution.
Political groups are already positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential ballot, anticipated as a decisive moment for France, with Marine Le Pen’s RN eyeing its strongest opportunity yet to claim power.
The crisis unfolds against a backdrop of mounting financial strain, with France’s debt-to-GDP ratio ranking as the EU’s third-highest.
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