French President Macron may dissolve parliament as early as this fall - Bloomberg
Kyiv • UNN
Emmanuel Macron is discussing the possibility of early elections with his entourage. This may give Marine Le Pen's party a chance to increase its influence and possibly lead the government.
French President Emmanuel Macron is considering dissolving parliament and holding early elections as early as this fall. He hopes this will raise his popularity within the country, writes UNN with reference to Bloomberg.
Details
Macron has been consulting with representatives of his inner circle on such a scenario in recent weeks. The discussions are only advisory and no decision has been made. The next parliamentary elections are not due until 2029.
Among the options being considered is to wait until next year before dissolving parliament. This would allow parliamentary elections to be held at the same time as the scheduled municipal elections in 2026.
In December, Macron told party leaders that he would try to avoid an early vote before the end of his second and final term in 2027. The French president's office declined to comment on a potential dissolution, but a person close to Macron said on Tuesday that the president has no intention of calling an early election.
What could happen
Such a move could threaten the relative stability that France has had since December, when Macron appointed François Bayrou as prime minister. Prior to that, Macron had suffered a disastrous election in July that split the National Assembly and left it without a majority party. This caused a long-lasting political chaos.
Early parliamentary elections could also give Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party an opportunity to build momentum and possibly take control of the government.
Macron's activism on the international stage
Macron is traveling the continent, trying to lead the opposition to President Donald Trump's sharp geopolitical moves, which have perplexed US allies around the world. The return of great power politics has given Macron a chance to switch to other areas, uniting allies seeking to support Kyiv in its confrontation with the Russian aggressor and strengthen European sovereignty.
French voters have welcomed Macron's return to the international arena, raising his rating from a record low. A poll conducted by Ifop showed that his popularity rose to 31% in March, up seven points from the previous month. This figure is also close to the level of support that existed before last year's parliamentary elections.
Confrontation with Le Pen
However, some of Macron's allies fear that new elections in the coming months could further undermine his majority. In July last year, his coalition lost about a third of its seats in the National Assembly, while the National Rally achieved its highest result ever.
In March, Le Pen, who was leading in a number of polls regarding participation in the next presidential race, was found guilty of embezzlement and received an immediate five-year ban from running in elections. A recent poll showed that the party's number two, Jordan Bardella, is the leader in the 2027 presidential race after he made it clear that he is ready to take over.
Le Pen's hopes of running for president of France in 2027 remain alive after the Paris Court of Appeal said it would be able to rule on her conviction and ban on running by mid-2026. This is much earlier than expected.
Additions
French President Emmanuel Macron announced the continuation of peace consultations on the situation in Ukraine, which will take place next week in London.
