French President Macron blames opposition for political chaos as crisis deepens

French President Emmanuel Macron accused rival political parties on Monday of fuelling instability in the country as he dismissed calls for his resignation amid France’s worst political crisis in decades.

Speaking upon his arrival in Egypt for a summit on Gaza, Macron said, “Many of those who have fuelled division and speculation have not risen to the moment,” blaming opposition parties for the turmoil.

He criticised rival 'political forces' as 'solely responsible for this chaos' after they instigated the destabilisation of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, a close ally of Macron. Lecornu resigned last week following backlash against his initial 14-hour government, only to be reappointed by Macron days later and tasked with forming a new cabinet.

The reshuffled government featured a mix of centred stalwarts and newcomers, including Jean-Pierre Farandou as labour minister and Laurent Nuñez as interior minister. Nuñez brings experience from overseeing the Paris police during the 2018-19 gilets jaunes protests and the recent Olympic Games.

Macron acknowledged the political deadlock since last year’s snap election resulted in a fractured parliament split among left, far-right, and centrist blocs with no majority.

Despite calls from some parties for him to resign, Macron insisted: “Never forget that the mandate given by the French people is to serve, to serve and serve, and to provide answers to the questions of everyday French people, and to do everything possible for the independence of France. That is the only thing that matters. The rest is the government’s business … I will continue to ensure stability.”

Macron’s term runs through spring 2027. When asked about a possible dissolution of parliament or snap elections if Lecornu’s government fails, Macron declined to speculate, stating, “I’m not making any bets. I want the country to move forward.”

Lecornu faces the urgent task of passing the 2026 budget by year-end.

He called on ministers to 'put egos aside' and work collaboratively to overcome the crisis. Lecornu is set to deliver his first policy speech to parliament on Tuesday.

Opposition parties La France Insoumise and National Rally plan to table motions of no confidence, requiring coalition support from groups like the Socialists to succeed. The Socialist party has said it will wait until after Lecornu’s speech before deciding, warning it could vote against the government unless the controversial 2023 pension reform law raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 is suspended.

The government is expected to present a draft budget including public spending cuts on Tuesday morning, allowing parliament the constitutionally mandated 70 days for review before year-end.

“We have to give this country a budget, otherwise we’re heading for catastrophe,” said External Commerce Minister Nicolas Forissier.

With political uncertainty looming, Macron and Lecornu seek to steer France toward stability against a backdrop of growing public frustration and parliamentary deadlock.