PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron’s expected political failure is Decisive parliamentary elections Sunday’s loss could paralyze the country, weaken his standing abroad and cast a shadow over his legacy just as France prepares to capture the world’s attention as host nation. Paris Olympics.
Macron, France’s youngest president ever, is known on the international stage for his tireless diplomatic efforts and pro-European initiatives. Currently without a majority in parliament and with a divisive government, many are wondering how he will hold the reins of power in the country. At 46, Macron is struggling to avoid becoming a lame duck, as the constitution bars him from running for a third consecutive term in 2027.
Whatever the outcome of Sunday’s runoff election, it is unlikely to be good news for Macron. French media have recently reported a mood of “end of the regime” at the Elysee Palace. Opinion polls suggest that Macron’s centrist coalition, which came third in the first round, is headed for defeat in Sunday’s runoff election.
“It seems that with the first vote the French wanted to punish the president,” Paris-based political analyst Dominique Moisi told The Associated Press.
Forming a government with a rival party would likely weaken Macron.
If the far-right National Rally and its allies win a majority in parliament, the centrist president would find himself in the awkward position of having to work with the anti-immigrant, nationalist prime minister. If not, Macron may have to find a way to form a functioning government, perhaps by making a deal with his left-wing rival. In any case, Macron would be unable to implement his pro-business agenda to boost the French economy.
More than 50 countries will hold elections in 2024
“We are in unknown worlds, unknown unknowns,” Moisi said, “because coalition governments are not a French tradition.”
Macron has been seen abroad as a key global player known for his relentless diplomatic activity, and he has been heavily involved in steps taken by Western countries. Support Ukraine Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, France has Promoting diplomatic efforts Cooperation with Arab countries. Earlier this year, President Macron His vision for the European UnionHe urged the 27-nation coalition to build its own strong defense to compete with China and the United States and to carry out major trade and economic reforms.
The French Constitution gives the Presidency Some power Macron will oversee foreign policy, European affairs and defence, but the division of powers with his rival prime minister remains unclear and without government support his role may be limited.
His pro-business policies have lowered unemployment but remain controversial.
The presidency is Macron’s first elected position. In his 30s, he left a job as a banker at Rothschild Bank to become an economic adviser to Socialist President François Hollande, working alongside him at the presidential palace for two years. He then served as economy minister in Hollande’s government from 2014 to 2016, pushing through a series of measures including allowing stores to open on Sundays and at night and opening up regulated sectors of the economy.
Macron was a successful 39-year-old political novice when he was first elected president in 2017 after leaving the Socialist party. He sought to make the labor market more flexible, passing new rules that made it harder for unemployed people to claim benefits. His government also implemented tax cuts for companies to boost employment.
Anti-government “yellow vest” protests soon erupted over social inequality, and Macron was dubbed the “rich man’s president.” He is still seen by many as arrogant and out of touch with ordinary people. Left-wing opponents accused him of destroying worker protections. Macron claimed that unemployment had fallen from more than 10 percent to 7.5 percent and that in recent years France had been ranked the most attractive European country for foreign investment.
Macron was re-elected in 2022, defeating far-right rival Marine Le Pen in a second consecutive presidential runoff election. But he lost his parliamentary majority, even though his centrist coalition won the most seats in the National Assembly. He then struggled to pass an unpopular plan to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, sparking months of mass protests that damaged his leadership. Riots erupted last year, and Macron won the presidential election. Swept through hundreds of citiesThe police shooting of the boy led to large-scale protests in towns and villages.
The election may weaken the political center and make him a lame duck.
Politically, the centrist leader launched his party promising to do better than the mainstream right and left, but that promise now seems doomed to fail. His call for early general elections has actually advanced two major forces: the far-right National Rally and a broad left coalition including the Socialists, the Greens and the far-left Invincible France party.
Mr Macron’s own camp questioned the president’s statesmanship after he announced his sudden decision last month to dissolve the National Assembly. “This decision is generating concern, incomprehension and sometimes anger in our country, among French people, everywhere,” Bruno Le Maire, who served as finance minister for seven years, told France Interradio. Mr Macron’s former prime minister, Edouard Philippe, accused Mr Macron of “killing” the centrist majority.
Macron’s fate may be discussed at a NATO summit in Washington next week, an opportunity for world leaders to meet. Britain’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“The paradox of the current situation is that, as a result of the last two elections in the UK and France, we will see more UK and less France at the NATO summit,” Moisi said. “The person with the strongest personality will be the new UK prime minister and the person with the weakest personality will be the new French president.”
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Associated Press writer Oleg Chetinich contributed to this report.
