Macron blames rivals for ‘sense of disorder’ in France
E.Macron has accused his political opponents of fuelling unrest and destabilising his government, as France faces one of its deepest political crises in years.
“The political forces in parliament which voted out [former prime minister] François Bayrou and the political forces that sought to destabilise Sébastien Lecornu are solely responsible for this sense of disorder [in France],” Macron told reporters in Egypt, where he is attending the Gaza peace summit today.
“At this moment in time, France is being watched. And the message it must convey is one of stability and strength. And so, it is everyone’s duty to work towards stability. Not gamble on instability,” he added.
“I’m not making any bets,” Macron said. “I want the country to move forward.”
France’s political crisis rumbled on throughout Monday, with parliament bracing for a showdown over Sébastien Lecornu’s new government and fresh calls for the National Assembly to be dissolved. National Assembly president Yaël Braun-Pivet welcomed the appointment of Lecornu’s cabinet and appealed for “calm and constructive debate” ahead of a crucial week for the embattled prime minister, but her call was drowned out by a flurry of no-confidence motions and recriminations.
Marine Le Pen and far-right leader Éric Ciotti announced a rare alliance on the right, submitting a joint motion of censure on behalf of their parties – the National Rally and the Union of the Right for the Republic. In a joint statement, they said France faced “an unprecedented political crisis” and urged Macron to invoke article 12 of the constitution to dissolve parliament, calling it “the most effective and democratic way to lead our country out of the deadlock.”
Mathilde Panot, leader of the left wing France Unbowed (LFI), announced that her party had “just filed a motion of no confidence that will bring down Lecornu’s new government,” adding: “The country has no time to lose. Lecornu will fall and Macron will follow.”
Far-right National Rally leader Jordan Bardella accused the Socialist Party of cutting “backroom deals” with the government to avoid backing a no-confidence vote, warning that those who “prolong the way Emmanuel Macron is damaging our country” would be held accountable.