A president missing in action
Since his election to the Élysée, Emmanuel Macron seems to act like a monarch, caricaturing the presidentialism of the 5ème République. It took the Olympic Games for him to perceive the true face of the French, but he does not listen to their distress.
As in 2018 during the gilets jaunes protest against the rise in fuel taxation, the president ignores the clear message sent in June and July on purchasing power, security, and immigration. His response, the dissolution of the Assemblée nationale, has sown discord.
An ungovernable Assemblée nationale
By creating a third political pole in the Assemblée, based on opportunistic rallies, Emmanuel Macron has undermined the 5ème République. This deadly pattern was confirmed during the second round of the legislative elections, resulting in an ungovernable Assemblée that ignores 11 million French people who voted for the Rassemblement National.
France has been plunged into an institutional deadlock for over a month, even though it needs to be governed in the face of important deadlines: budget, the return to school, and financial guarantees for the 2030 Winter Olympics.
“The president is the guarantor of the independence and integrity of the country.”
Three years to convince
In 2023, the pension reform caused an institutional, democratic, and political crisis. The president had this law adopted by ignoring the unions and flouting democracy. Emmanuel Macron has three years left to convince the French that he can preserve their enthusiasm and joy of life.
All republicans, from the right as well as the left, are ready to help him if he considers them. The celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Débarquement en Provence recalls the importance of unity and victory, where diverse troops allowed France to regain its rights and sit at the winners' table.
Bernard Bertucco Van Damme