Macron Defiant Amid Crisis, Seeks New Prime Minister To Tackle Political Turmoil

President Emmanuel Macron launched a new search for a prime minister on Friday after a no-confidence vote ousted Michel Barnier, deepening the political crisis in France’s divided parliament. The crisis, which Macron attributed to a coalition of the far-right and extreme left, follows growing discontent over Barnier’s proposed 2025 budget, which sparked widespread opposition.

In a prime-time address Thursday, Macron rejected calls for his resignation, insisting that the crisis was driven by “anti-republican” forces aiming to destabilize the government ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Macron emphasized that he would fulfill his five-year mandate and not bow to pressure, despite the political chaos.

Macron now faces the challenge of navigating the fractured political landscape, with the Socialist Party the second-largest member of the left-wing New Popular Front emerging as a potential ally. Socialist leader Olivier Faure, who met with Macron on Friday, indicated the party might support a new prime minister if the government adopts a leftist approach and revises Macron’s controversial pension reform.

While Macron hopes to secure Socialist backing to avoid further no-confidence motions from both the far-right National Rally and the hard-left France Unbowed, it remains uncertain whether he can garner enough support to pass the 2025 budget. Despite setbacks, Macron is pressing ahead with plans to introduce a special budget bill in the coming months, in an effort to prevent the French public from bearing the cost of the political turmoil.