NYT: Macron cornered as fragmented parliament threatens far-right surge

The resignation of French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu appears to have cornered President Emmanuel Macron, who will likely be forced to dissolve parliament, thereby potentially strengthening the far right, reports The New York Times.

“Mr. Macron still has those considerable powers but appears cornered, at least if Mr. Lecornu fails in his last-ditch mission. He can dissolve Parliament, which is likely to lead to a surge in support for Ms. Le Pen and her party in the ensuing election.

According to the NYT, France is no longer facing merely a political crisis but a constitutional one.

For decades, the Fifth Republic operated either under a clear parliamentary majority supporting the president or under a majority opposing the head of state.

Today, however, the National Assembly is split into three nearly equal factions: Le Pen’s right-wing nationalists, the left and far-left, most prominently led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon of La France Insoumise, and pro-government centrists, whose loyalty to Macron is reportedly waning. This fragmentation has resulted in France experiencing five government changes in just 21 months, creating a state of chaos, the newspaper notes.

By Khagan Isayev