Former allies urge Macron to call fresh elections to solve parliamentary crisis

Emmanuel Macron was under intense pressure last night to call snap parliamentary elections or resign after former allies demanded he act to end a spiralling political crisis.

- Jon Henley

The French president faces mounting anger over one of the worst spells of chaos since the start of the Fifth Republic in 1958.

Édouard Philippe, who was Macron's prime minister from 2017 to 2020 and now leads an allied party, called for an early presidential election once a budget was agreed.

Macron was reelected in 2022 for a five-year term but since snap parliamentary elections in 2024 his appointees as prime minister have been unable to muster a majority for financial legislation.

"Time is of the essence," Philippe said. "We are not going to prolong what we have been experiencing for the past six months. Another 18 months is far too long and it is damaging France. The political game we are playing is distressing."

Gabriel Attal, whose brief spell as France's youngest-ever premier ended last year when Macron called the snap vote that produced a hung parliament, said he no longer understood the president's decisions.

Attal, who leads the main pro-Macron party, said it was time for the president "to try something else" after burning through five prime ministers in less than two years.