The stability Macron says he needs at home is proving to be more elusive by the day

As the French president, Emmanuel Macron, faces a crucial moment on the international stage this month, with the recognition of a Palestinian state at the UN general assembly and diplomacy over Gaza and Ukraine, he has again been shaken by a damaging political crisis at home.

- Angelique Chrisafis

Macron last night was left scrambling to appoint his third prime minister in a year, and the fifth since his second term began in 2022, after François Bayrou was toppled in a parliamentary confidence vote.

In the summer, Macron said France needed stability at home while playing a key role on the international stage. But that stability is proving elusive.

Since his gamble of calling a snap election in June 2024, parliament remains divided between three groups - the left, the centre and the far right - none of which has a majority. This has created deadlock on economic policy and divisions over the most basic political task: setting a budget for 2026.