Emmanuel Macron spoke out on Monday for the first time about the political crisis in France, pointing fingers at "destabilizing forces." Upon his arrival in Sharm El-Sheij to participate in the Gaza "peace summit," the French President emphasized "those who have fueled division and speculation" and who "have not risen to the occasion of the country's current situation."
"France must convey a message of stability and strength," Macron stressed on Egyptian soil, after weeks of total silence regarding the country's internal crisis, exacerbated by the resignation of his "protégé" Sébastian Lecornu a week ago and the decision to entrust him with forming a new Government again within five days.
Far from calming the storm, Macron's words further fueled the political debate. Marine Le Pen's National Rally and Jean-Luc Mélenchon's France Unbowed joined forces and presented motions of censure against Lecornu's Government, which could be voted on this same week.
In addition to the double boycott from the far-right and far-left, cracks within the centrist bloc supporting Lecornu and tensions within The Republicans, the traditional right-wing party, emerged due to the presence of half a dozen of its members in the new Government despite the base's decision to detach from the center-right coalition, putting their leader and former Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, in a compromised position.
"The political forces that decided to censure François Bayrou and those who played destabilization games with Sébastien Lecornu are solely responsible for this disorder," Macron stated in his brief intervention on Monday. Having appointed four prime ministers in 13 months, the President is considered by most French citizens and political forces as the main culprit of the current chaos due to the early elections called in July 2024, which left the National Assembly completely fragmented.
"It is everyone's duty to work for stability and not gamble on instability," Macron added. "I am here in my role as guarantor of the institutions. I have seen many words that have not lived up to the circumstances, and I ask everyone to come together."
"We have a duty to work with rigor and respect," concluded the French President. "And we must not forget, whether in the Government or in Parliament, that our duty is to serve, serve, and serve. And provide answers to the questions that the French people are asking."
The harshest response on French soil came from Jordan Bardella, Marine Le Pen's 'heir': "The majority of French people want the dissolution of the Assembly, and two-thirds want the resignation of the President of the Republic. So if we want to be French again, let's hold new elections."
The President of the National Rally anticipated his intention to vote alongside France Unbowed in a motion of censure, which also requires the Socialist Party's vote to succeed. Socialist leader Olivier Faure has conditioned his support for the Government on the suspension of the pension reform, now considered "untouchable," which Lecornu seems willing to negotiate.