“I stopped understanding what the president does a long time ago.” Whoever manifests himself like this is not Jordan Bardella in Marine Le Pen in Jean-Luc Mélenchonsino Gabriel AttalFrench Prime Minister from January to September 2024 and member of the party Renaissance (Renaissance), headed by himself Emmanuel Macron. Attal was the greatest victim of the decision of the President of the Republic to dissolve the National Assembly in June 2024, after the overwhelming victory of the far right in the European elections.
Macron’s movement had a plebiscitary point and, in principle, it did not go entirely badly for his party, but it left France mired in the same uncertainty that it had been experiencing since 2022, with a Parliament where the radical right and the radical left can veto any proposal from the centrist Government. Since Attal’s replacement, three other politicians have served as prime minister: the moderate Gaullist Michel Barnierthe conservative François Bayrou and the recently resigned Sébastien Lecornu.
In total, there are six prime ministers in charge of forming a Government since July 2020, that is, in less than five years. At this point, Macron’s responsibility is inescapable and the problem for the French president is that the criticism no longer comes from outside, but from within… and it does not stop only at Attal. Édouard Philippefirst head of Government with Macron, from 2017 to 2020, and shadow advisor to the centrist for years, asked this Tuesday for an early electoral period, not only for the National Assembly, but for himself. Elysium.
With @Renaissancewe propose to change method.
Put the what before the who. Appoint a negotiator. Bring all the parties, all those who hold France close to their hearts, around a table. And appoint a Prime Minister AFTER this general interest contract is established. pic.twitter.com/lPySZWnkXk
— Gabriel Attal (@GabrielAttal) October 6, 2025
End parliamentary agony
According to Philippe, France cannot endure two more years of agony – Macron’s mandate ends in 2027 – and the call for legislative elections would leave things as they are, that is, with a Parliament without majorities and condemned to blockade. It must be remembered that the prime minister is not directly elected by the National Assembly, as in the vast majority of parliamentary systems, but is appointed by the President of the Republic. Hence, although the New Popular Front be the coalition with the most representatives, Macron insists on appointing prime ministers with a center-right profile.
Philippe did not explain, however, how the situation would improve with a new president of the Republic. Right now, the polls show a confrontation between Marine Le Pen —if it can finally appear—and Jean-Luc Mélenchon in the second round of the presidential elections. The victory of either of the two would mean a complete turnaround for French society and, above all, for its foreign policy, since both have had close ties with Russia in the past. Vladimir Putin and they do not believe in the “Europe of the merchants” which, according to them, is actually the European Union.
Likewise, in the face of legislative elections, the victory of either of the two would open some less than optimistic options for French democracy: if the same party repeats its victory, there is a clear risk of collapse of democratic controls; If the victory goes to the opposing party, a “cohabitation” of extremes would occur who will hardly be able to agree on anything other than their liberal phobias.
Macronism without Macron
Now, Attal and Philippe may not actually be thinking about the good of France. Or not at all. Both politicians are fighting to win over the centrist electorate that views the other two options with horror. Both believe that they can be presidential candidates and lead France on the right path if they are given time and options. At a time when Macron’s popularity in France is at the lowest of his two mandates, distancing himself from him seems the most appropriate in electoral terms.
Likewise, an orderly exit from the Elysée, before things get even more complicated, can increase the chances of a consensus candidate. Along these lines, in 2027 there will be no trace of political moderation in France and who knows if in the rest of Western Europe. It is normal that in the ranks of Renacimiento there is this concern regarding Macronism without Macron and it is also normal that there are those who think that prolonging the situation will only harm their own electoral options.
That said, what will Macron do? The president has repeatedly affirmed his desire to finish his term in 2027 and there is nothing to indicate that he has changed his mind. Despite the tremendous internal opposition, Macron feels that he has two obligations towards his country: first, save France from the extreme right; secondly, maintain its status as an international power in a time of constant crisis.
Macron’s good relations with Donald Trumpcon Friedrich Merz and with Volodímir Zelenskiin addition to his role as mediator for years in the conflict between Israel y Palestinemake him a key character in geopolitical terms right now. He knows it. And he feels like he can’t leave until the war Ukraine and that of Gaza come to an end. Are you going to take your party ahead in the task? Most likely. But, as we know with the French leaders: after them, the flood.