As crisis in France grows more complex… Macron finds himself in deep isolation as last-ditch negotiations to form a government begin

France’s political crisis deepened on Tuesday after President Emmanuel Macron, who appears more isolated than ever, asked resigned Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to hold final negotiations to form a government that would break the country’s political deadlock.

Lecornu agreed with his allies at the Prime Minister’s Office that the discussions would focus on the 2026 budget and the fate of New Caledonia, the French archipelago located in the South Pacific.

He invited all political parties to meet with him by Wednesday morning, however, the National Rally (far-right) party quickly rejected the invitation, insisting on its demand to dissolve the National Assembly, as did the La France Insoumise (radical left) party.

The head of state appears more isolated than ever, after his allies also abandoned him, as his former Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe (2017-2020), is now calling on him to step down before the end of his term and hold “early presidential elections”.

Macron’s close ally said, “We must not continue what we have been experiencing for the past six months for the next 18 months,” that is, until the end of the presidential term in 2027, noting that the state “is no longer under control”.

A similar position was issued on Monday by another former prime minister, Gabriel Attal (January-September 2024), who was very close to Emmanuel Macron and has now distanced himself from the president, saying, “I no longer understand his decisions”.

However, the spokesperson for the resigned government, Aurore Bergé, stressed in a statement that Macron would remain president “until the final moments of his term,” considering that from a constitutional standpoint, “the question of resignation does not exist”.

Meanwhile, the opposition continues to denounce the unprecedented political crisis that has gripped France since the sudden resignation of Sébastien Lecornu’s government on Monday, just 14 hours after its formation.

The task is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for Le Cournot, who has held the shortest term as head of a government in the Fifth Republic.

The French president reassigned him on Monday evening to conduct final negotiations by Wednesday to define a framework for action and stability in the country.

A more moderate stance was taken by resigned Interior Minister Bruno Rotau, who sparked the crisis on Monday with his threat to withdraw from the government in protest at the appointment of former Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire.

On Tuesday, he proposed that the Republicans participate in a coexistence government with Macron, provided that his party isn’t diluted.

However, he didn’t attend the morning meeting of the “Common Pillar,” the fragile coalition between the right and the center that has been in place since the dissolution of the National Assembly in 2024.

Macron then took the risk of calling early legislative elections in an effort to consolidate his power following the far-right’s resounding victory in the European elections.

However, this move resulted in a parliament fragmented between three rival blocs, none of which possessed an absolute majority.

The French president indicated that if a new government is successfully formed, Le Courneux won’t automatically appoint a new prime minister, as his role at this stage is limited to determining whether methods for a settlement can be found.

In any case, Macron will “bear his responsibilities” if the talks fail again to achieve the desired outcome, according to sources close to him, with threats to dissolve parliament once again.

Lecornu could succeed in his mission if he suspends, for example, the pension reform demanded by the Socialists, an advisor said Friday evening.

Outgoing minister and former Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne expressed on Tuesday her openness to “suspending” the controversial reform adopted by her government in 2023.

She proposed suspending discussions until the next presidential election, scheduled for 2027.

“Suspending the pension reform was impossible a few days ago, but today it is possible,” said Raphaël Glucksmann, leader of the Plus Public party, as he left the meeting in Matignon on Tuesday evening.

At the conclusion of a meeting that the Socialist Party refused to attend, the Greens and France Insoumise parties called on the left, across all its spectrums, to adopt a breaking program.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s France Insoumise party hasn’t changed its position one iota, continuing to demand Macron’s resignation and brandishing a dismissal memo.

For his part, Socialist leader Olivier Faure called for a “change of course” in order to coexist with the rest of the party with the arrival of a “left-wing government”.

For the National Rally, the only way out is either to dissolve the National Assembly, which is an absolute necessity, according to its most prominent figure, Marine Le Pen, or for Macron to resign.

These political developments are having a negative impact on economic circles, which are expressing their concern about the situation.

Patrick Martin, head of France’s largest employers’ union (MEDEF), expressed his dismay and concern on Tuesday on France Info radio.

For her part, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde affirmed that all European bodies are closely monitoring current developments in the French political situation and strongly hope that ways will be found to enable the fulfillment of international commitments, particularly with regard to budget submissions.