Paris (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Ex-Prime Minister of France Edouard Philippe urged President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday to carry out early presidential elections following the budget, because of the recent political crisis engulfing the country.
Philippe – who was previously a loyal supporter of Macron – stated in an interview with RTL that he was “in favour of the holding of new presidential elections.” This statement follows the resignation of outgoing Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Monday, and rejection of the Prime Minister by both allies and adversaries.
Why is Edouard Philippe calling for early elections?
In an interview, Philippe voiced his hopes that Macron will elect a new prime minister who will “get this budget adopted,” and that after that, he will “announce that he will organise an early presidential election.” “That is to say, he [Macron] leaves immediately after the budget has been adopted,” Philippe elaborated.
Additionally, the former prime minister expressed his worries, stating that France is currently experiencing a “political crisis.”
“This political crisis is the collapse of the state. Today, the state is no longer held to account,”
he emphasised.
A day earlier, France’s recently elected PM, Sebastien Lecornu, resigned just 14 hours after instituting his new cabinet.
He was a former defence minister and long-standing ally of French President Emmanuel Macron. Lecornu submitted his resignation to Macron, and the President of the Republic has accepted it, as announced by the Élysée Palace.
What political conflicts caused Lecornu’s government to fall?
As reported, the new cabinet lineup has upset both opponents and allies, who consider it either too right-wing or not right-wing enough. This raises concerns about its stability given France’s ongoing political crisis and a fragmented parliament lacking a clear majority.
Since Macron’s re-election in 2022, French politics has become more unstable because no party or group holds a majority in parliament. Last year’s decision by Macron to call a snap parliamentary election worsened the crisis by resulting in an even more split parliament.
How many prime ministers has Macron replaced within two years?
Lecornu, appointed just last month, became Macron’s seventh prime minister during his current term, and the fifth in less than two years.
During Macron’s tenure, the earlier prime ministers who resigned include Lecornu’s immediate predecessor, François Bayrou, who was dismissed following a standoff over France’s austerity budget amid a divided parliament. Michel Barnier also briefly held the position before Bayrou and stepped down following the government’s budget crisis and political deadlock.
